Apple and Oats Stuffed Pumpkin

Right before Halloween, Justin and I headed to the pumpkin patch to get our carving pumpkins... it's something I have to do every year.  While we were there, we grabbed some acorn squash, butternut squash, carnival squash, and a few sugar pie pumpkins.  We had ideas for them... until the lady who was running the show told us how good they were stuffed with apples and raisins.  Well, we did a little research, and then like usual, we winged it.  It came out so awesome!  I felt like it was a dessert, though it wasn't overly sweet (which is how we like our desserts).  My sister in law topped it off with whipped cream to add a little kick to it.  Justin thought it was a perfectly good meal and had no need to be labeled "dessert".  Next one I make, I think I'm going to add some oats to it to give the stuffing even more body.  Either way you eat it... it's going to be awesome!

Here were this year's pumpkins - mine is evil, Justin's is the cyclops.


And so, even though it's past Halloween, we're going to lay down some Misfits' "Halloween".  -jen

APPLE AND OATS STUFFED PUMPKIN

• 1 small sugar pie pumpkin (2-3 pounds)
• 2 medium Granny Smith apples, chopped
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 teaspoons amaretto liqueur (or whiskey, or brandy, or rum - it's all good)
• 2 tablespoons butter, cubed small

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the top off of your pumpkin.  Scoop out the seeds and string insides, discarding.  Mix all of the remaining ingredients except the butter.  Pack firmly into the pumpkin until about half way.  Sprinkle with half of the cubed butter.  Pack the remaining filling into the pumpkin and top with the remaining butter.

Place the lid back on top of the pumpkin.  Place on a baking sheet or in a pie pan and bake for 1.5 - 2 hours, until pumpkin insides are tender.

Slice the pumpkin into quarters and serve topped with the stuffing.  Depending on the size of your pumpkin, you may have leftover filling that wouldn't fit inside.  I suggest saving it and mixing it in with some oatmeal for breakfast the next morning!