Pumpkin Stew

Today is Halloween, and it's a tradition at our house to make Pumpkin Stew.  Yummy warm comfort food!  The hardest part about this recipe is getting the pumpkin ready.  It does take a little bit of work and some advanced planning.

Pumpkin Stew

Brown Meat

Simmering Stew

 Pumpkin Stew

1-2 lbs. stew meat cut into 1 inch squares

3 tbsp vegetable oil, divided

3 c. water

3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 carrots, sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced
Bay leaf

2 tsp salt

½ tsp ground pepper

2 tbsp beef bouillon granules

1 can stewed tomatoes

1 can green beans
1 can beef bullion (optional if you prefer a brothier stew)

1 pumpkin

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat.  Place beef in pan and cook until brown.  Add in the water, potatoes, carrots, pepper, salt, bay leaf, and garlic.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for an hour.  During the last 15 minutes, add the bullion, tomatoes, and green beans to the saucepan.

While that's cooking, cut the top off the pumpkin and remove the seeds and pulp. 

Preheat oven to 325° F.   Put the pumpkin on a heavy baking pan.  Fill the pumpkin with the stew and brush the outside of the pumpkin with the remaining oil.

Bake in oven for two hours or until tender. Serve from the pumpkin.

Pumpkin Stew

Pumpkin Stew

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Normally, Tuesdays are reserved for taco night.  But, today is a particularly windy blustery day here in Michigan thanks to Hurricane Sandy, and nothing sounds better than a hot bowl of broccoli cheese soup and Parmesan rolls.  So, that's what we're having for dinner tonight.  Here are the recipes:

Broccoli Cheese Soup

1/4 c. butter

1/4 c. flour

3 c. water

2-3 c. chopped broccoli (I also like to add cauliflower)

2 tbsp chicken flavor instant bouillon

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

4 c. shredded mild cheddar cheese  (the sharper the cheddar, the less you will need)

2 c. half and half  (I also put 1/4 c. cream to 1 1/2 c. milk to reduce the fat)

Melt butter in large sauce pan.  Stir in flour.  Gradually stir in water and then broccoli, bouillon, and Worcestershire.  Over medium heat, cook and stir until thickened and broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes.  Add cheese and cream and cook until cheese melts and soup is hot.  Do not boil.