Crockpot Gourmet Recipe: Stuffed Pumpkin

It's fall! And that means pumpkins! As you've probably guessed, I love pumpkin. I've already posted several pumpkin-based recipes on my site. (spaghetti sauce, chili, pumpkin custard) But one of our favorite fall meals is Stuffed Pumpkin. You can stuff the pumpkin with a variety of different fillings. This one, with cranberries and turkey, is like Thanksgiving dinner in a single dish.

You will need:

One pumpkin (about 7-8 inches in diameter, or whatever size will fit into your crock pot)

2 pound ground  turkey

Two onions chopped

2 tablespoons garlic

half cup Craisins

quarter pound mushrooms chopped

Half cup oats*

1 tablespoon each oregano and basil

Cut the top off the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds. Brown the ground turkey. Add the onions and sauté until slightly tender. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook until mushrooms are tender and onions start to caramelize. 

Pack as much of the filling into the pumpkin as you can, pushing it down with a spoon to really smash it in. (You will probably have some leftover filling. The amount depends on how big your pumpkin is. Extra filling makes a great topping for baked potatoes or omelets ... Or you can do as I did and just eat while you wait for the pumpkin to cook.) 

Replace the top of the pumpkin. Place in a crock pot, and cook on low for 6-8 hours until pumpkin is soft. 

This is a complete meal. You don't even need side dishes! 

* If you need your dish to be gluten-free, make sure you use certified gluten-free oats. Oats are a naturally gluten-free grain, but they are often grown and processed so that they are not safe for those with gluten allergies.