Pumpkin Soup in a Pumpkin

Last Thursday we had the missionaries over for dinner.  I wanted to do something fun and fall like, but also something that would be yummy.  I found this recipe online for Pumpkin Soup in a Pumpkin, and it looked really yummy to me.  Mike was skeptical, he said that pumpkin soup didn't even sound appealing at all, but I decided to be adventurous and try it anyway.  Luckily for me, (and the missionaries!) it turned out really yummy!!  I made some homemade crescent rolls to go with it, and pumpkin bars for dessert.  Everyone ended up eating way too much food because it was so good!!  Here are some pictures of how it turned out, and the recipe in case anyone is interested! :)

1 7-lb. Cinderella pumpkin, with a 2" stem

7 tbsp. butter
Salt
1 large yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 1⁄2 cups fresh white bread crumbs, toasted
1⁄2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1⁄2 tsp. ground sage
Freshly ground black pepper
1⁄2 cup grated Swiss cheese
4 cups Chicken Stock
2 bay leaves
1⁄2 cup heavy cream, optional

Preheat oven to 350°. Cut a lid about 4" in diameter out of top of pumpkin and set lid aside. Remove and discard seeds and strings. Rub inside of pumpkin and lid with 1 tbsp. softened butter, season with salt, and place on a baking pan. Melt remaining 6 tbsp. butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in bread crumbs and cook for 2 minutes, then add nutmeg and sage and season generously with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, stir in cheese, then spoon mixture into pumpkin. Pour enough stock into pumpkin to come within 1⁄2" of the rim. Lay bay leaves on top, then fit lid onto pumpkin. Bake until pumpkin begins to soften and brown on the outside and the stock bubbles on the inside, about 1 1⁄2 hours. Carefully remove from oven and transfer to a serving platter. With a long-handled spoon, scrape flesh from bottom and sides of pumpkin and, just before serving, stir in heavy cream if using.

Spicy Chicken, Rice and Beans Casserole

So I was talking to my mom last night about being wanting to be more "adventurous" and make new recipes, so I got a little adventurous today, took an idea from a couple different recipes and made my own recipe.  We had it for dinner tonight, and it actually turned out pretty tasty :)

1 can refried beans
1 C uncooked rice
2 C cooked chopped chicken
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 7oz can El Pato tomato sauce
1 can Rotel
Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Cook rice as directed.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13x9in glass casserole dish.  Spread refried beans in the bottom of casserole dish and top with cooked rice.  Sprinkle chicken on top of rice.  Mix together cream of mushroom and chicken soup, El Pato sauce and Rotel.  Spread over chicken and top with shredded cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Serve with Tortilla chips if desired.

Beef and Rice Casserole

This recipe is one of our favorite dinners.  Its pretty easy to throw together, I found it in one of my cookbooks, but I have made some changes to make it taste even better :)

1lb ground beef
2 medium celery stalks chopped
1/2 C chopped onion
1 C long grain rice
1 14 1/2oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 sliced black olives
1 4oz can diced green chilies
1 1/4 C beef broth (approx. 1 10 1/2oz can)
1 t chili powder
1 t garlic powder
2 t Worcestershire sauce
1/4 t pepper
1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese

In a large oven-proof skillet brown ground beef with onion celery, onion, garlic powder and salt to taste.  Drain fat, stir in uncooked rice and beef broth.  Add undrained tomatoes, chili peppers, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper.  Bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  Sprinkle with cheese, cover and let stand for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Lizard Stew

This is a recipe our family enjoys, and no it is not made out of real lizards!! :)  (Plus its easy and fast! Even Noah will eat it!)

1lb ground beef, browned and drained
1 15oz can of ranch style chili beans
1 26oz can of minestrone or vegetable soup
1 10oz can of rotel (tomatos and green chilies)
1lb of velveeta cut into cubes

Combine all ingredents except for velveeta in a large pot. Heat on medium high until hot and bubbly. Add velveeta heat and stir until melted. Serve over fritos.

Pumpkin-Spice Bars

I think I have a new favorite here!! :)  I am really not a big pumpkin fan (I don't really care for pumpkin pie, or pumpkin bread) but these are so very yummy!! I could eat the whole pan myself!! :)

4 large eggs
2 C granulated sugar
1 C vegetable oil
1 15oz can of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
2 C flour
2 t baking powder
2 t ground cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground ginger
1/4 t ground cloves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease bottom and sides of a 15x10x1 pan.  (I have a 15x10 inch jelly roll pan I used)  In mixer beat together eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until smooth.  Stir in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger and cloves.  Spread into pan.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool completely.  Frost with Cream Cheese frosting.  (you can either buy it from the store like I did :P or make it)

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 3oz package of cream cheese (softened)
1/2 C butter (softened)
1 t vanilla
2 C powdered sugar

Beat together cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth, gradually stir in powdered sugar until smooth and spreadable.

Magic Cookie Bars

My mom made these yummy cookie bars all the time when we were growing up, and I LOVE them!  I decided to make them tonight for our family night treat, and thought I would share the recipe.

1/2 C butter
1 1/2 C graham cracker crumbs (we usually take one package of graham crackers out of the box, put it in a ziplock bag and crush it up with a rolling pin)
1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/3 C shredded coconut
2 C chocolate chips
1 C chopped pecans

Place butter in 13x9 pan and place in oven while it preheats to 350 degrees to melt butter.  Once butter is melted, sprinkle graham cracker crumbs evenly in bottom of pan.  Spread sweetened condensed milk over graham cracker crust.  Sprinkle coconut, chocolate chips, and pecans evenly, and press down.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

What's for Dinner

Tonight for dinner I am making meatloaf (Mike's favorite), homemade mashed potatoes, and green beans.  If I get really ambitious, I might make lemon bars for desert too.  This is our family's favorite meatloaf recipe, I have tried several different ones, but this is the one that tastes the best and is the easiest!

Souperior Meat Loaf

1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix
2lbs Ground Beef
3/4 C plain dry bread crumbs (I use the Italian seasoned kind)
2 eggs
3/4 C water
1/2 C Ketchup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine all ingredients in large bowl.  Shape into loaf in a 13x9 pan and bake for 1 hour.

To go on top of our meatloaf I make a yummy sauce by mixing ketchup and Worcestershire sauce.  I just squirt some ketchup into a bowl (whatever looks like enough for however many people are eating) then dump the Worcestershire sauce in and mix it up.  I put in just enough Worcestershire sauce to give it a nice spicy kick :) (learned how to do this meatloaf sauce from my mom!)

Easy Mac and Cheese Casserole

I am not a Mac and Cheese fan, but this recipe for Mac and Cheese casserole is easy and yummy :) Its what we are having for dinner tonight.

1 lb Ground Beef
Dehydrated Onion, Salt & Pepper to season ground beef
1 box of Mac and Cheese
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
Cheddar Cheese

Brown and season ground beef. Drain and set aside.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook noodles according to package.  Drain and while still hot mix in cheese packet, a handful of shredded cheddar cheese, ground beef and cream of mushroom soup.  Place into covered casserole dish and sprinkle additional cheddar cheese on top.  Cook at 350 for 30 minutes.  (Its also good if you add in a can of sliced mushrooms)