whole Baked Pumpkin

This is a fun and somewhat unique recipe to add to your fall menu. This makes a great side dish or dessert. Absolutely wonderful scooped out while warm with vanilla ice cream!

A whole baked pumpkin makes for a fun way to present and serve this dish.

 

1 medium pumpkin

6 Granny Smith apples- peeled, cored and chopped

1 C. chopped walnuts

1 (16 oz) can cranberry sauce

1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks, drained (I have yet to add this so tell me if you try it how it tastes)

¾ C. packed brown sugar

½ C. golden raisins

½ C. dark rum (optional) (I added a little rum flavoring instead- a tsp. to a Tbsp.)

2 tsp minced fresh ginger root

1 Tbsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Position rack in the center of the oven.

Cut out top of pumpkin, and set aside. Scoop out seeds.

In a large bowl, stir together the apples, walnuts, cranberry sauce, pineapple, brown sugar, raisins, and rum. Season with ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon, and mix well. Spoon the mixture into the cleaned pumpkin and replace top.

Set pumpkin directly on a baking stone or baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or  until the pumpkin begins to soften. Remove from heat and stir, scraping the sides gently, so that the pumpkin falls into the apple mixture.