Dinner in a Pumpkin

A fun Halloween tradition from Grandma Sagers!

3 lbs lean ground beef
2 onions
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cans water chestnuts, drained
3 cups cooked white rice
2 cans sliced mushrooms, drained (or use fresh mushrooms)

Chop onions and cook them with beef (and mushrooms if fresh). Drain any grease. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, mushrooms, cream of chicken soup, water chestnuts, and rice.

If it's Halloween and you want to be fun and festive, clean out the inside of a large pumpkin (but make sure it will fit in your oven!!). Brush the inside with melted butter and pour casserole mixture inside. Place pumpkin on a cookie sheet, but leave the lid off of the pumpkin. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour. Pumpkin will get soft, so don't lift it off the cookie sheet when serving.

Notes: If you don't have a pumpkin or it's not Halloween, you can use a large casserole dish. This makes a large amount, so the recipe can be reduced for a smaller crowd or a smaller pumpkin!

Shepherd's Pie

1 lb lean ground beef
1 can green beans
1 can tomato soup
8 servings mashed potatoes
Cheddar cheese, grated

Brown beef. Add tomato soup and green beans. Spread in bottom of casserole dish. Spread cooked mashed potatoes on top. Cover top with cheese. Bake in 350 degree F oven for about 20 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.

Frito Casserole

1 lbs lean ground beef
1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained
10 oz enchilada sauce
Small can tomato sauce
1 TBS minced onion
1 small package of Fritos
2 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Lettuce

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Brown beef and onions in frying pan. Drain off extra fat. Add beans, tomato sauce and enchilada sauce to meat. Add 1/2 of the package of Fritos and 2 cups of the cheese. Spread in a 9X13 casserole dish and bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and top with the rest of the cheese and some of the remaining Fritos, crushed, to taste. Serve with sour cream and lettuce.