Recipe: Sausage & Rice Stuffed Pumpkins

Sausage & Rice Stuffed Pumpkins

Here is a tasty fall dish you will have to try!  The filling is so good and it is such a pretty presentation for a fall dinner.  Enjoy! 

2-3 small pie pumpkins (about 2 pounds each)

1 pound ground sausage

1 pound fresh mushrooms, chopped

1-2 medium onions, chopped

1 medium green pepper, chopped

5 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups cooked long-grain rice

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon 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 for 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 for 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 the filling reads 160°. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the filling. Cut to serve.