DINNER IN A PUMPKIN #8

[Kitchen Witch]

DINNER IN A PUMPKIN #8

1 small sugar pumpkin
2 onions, chopped
2 cups diced celery
1/4 cup shortening
5 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (20 ounce) bottle ketchup
3 cloves crushed garlic
5 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 (4.5 ounce) can mushrooms, drained
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
2 cups cooked white rice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 Degrees C). Cut off top of pumpkin, scrape out seeds and pith. In a large deep skillet, saute vegetables in 1/4 cup shortening until soft. Add beef; cook and crumble until evenly brown. Add the pepper, ketchup, garlic, salt, Worcestershire sauce and tomato sauce. Simmer 15-20 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of the beef mixture, soy sauce, mushrooms, brown sugar, soup and rice. Mix well, pour into pumpkin and replace lid. Cover and freeze remaining beef mixture. Place filled pumpkin on a baking sheet and bake for one hour or until pumpkin is tender. As you serve dinner, be sure to scoop out a little of the cooked pumpkin too.