Name: Sausage & Rice Stuffed Pumpkins
Ingredients: 3 small pie pumpkins (about 2 pounds each); ½ lb bulk sweet Italian sausage; 1 lb fresh mushrooms, chopped; 2 medium onions, chopped; 1 medium green pepper, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 4 cups cooked long grain rice; 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided; 2 large eggs, lightly beaten; ¼ cup minced fresh parsley; 1 tsp salt; ½ tsp dried thyme

Rating

Yields1 Serving

3 small pie pumpkins (about 2 pounds each)

½ lb bulk sweet Italian sausage

1 lb fresh mushrooms, chopped

2 medium onions, chopped

1 medium green pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups cooked long grain rice

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

¼ cup minced fresh parsley

1 tsp salt

½ tsp dried thyme

Preheat oven to 450°. Cut a 3-in. circle around each pumpkin stem. Remove tops and set aside. Remove strings and seeds from pumpkins; discard seeds or save for roasting.

In a large skillet, cook sausage, vegetables and garlic over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink, breaking up sausage into crumbles; drain. Remove from heat; stir in rice, 3/4 cup cheese, eggs, parsley, salt and thyme.

Place pumpkins in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan; fill with rice mixture. Replace pumpkin tops. Bake 30 minutes.

Reduce oven setting to 350°. Bake 25-35 minutes longer or until pumpkin is tender when pierced with a knife and a thermometer inserted in filling reads 160°. Sprinkle remaining cheese over filling. Cut to serve.

Ingredients