Southwestern Dinner in a Pumpkin is perfect for serving on Halloween, and looks great on the BOO-ffet table. Over the years, I’ve seen several recipes called “Dinner in a Pumpkin,” and have even tried some of them; besides the fact that nobody in my family liked any of them, there are pitfalls such as the fact that the pumpkin collapses and/or splits if cooked even a little too long, making a big mess in the oven.

Since my Grandkids thought it would be a great thing to cook their Halloween dinner in a pumpkin, I set to work on developing a recipe that would taste good enough that my family would eat it, and find a solution for the cracking and collapsing. The answer is the slow cooker. When a pumpkin is cooked in the slow cooker, it won't matter if the pumpkin cracks or collapses; it still can be served and will look relatively good since it's contained. No one need worry about messing up the oven because it won’t be used.

The only thing that takes any time in this dish is cleaning out the pumpkin; since it’s small, that task is even quite fast. Mixing a few canned items is very fast too, so if you happen to be busy finishing someone's costume, or are shopping for last-minute Halloween items, it won't matter; dinner will be ready whenever you want to eat.

12 Servings

1 5-8 pound pie pumpkin, that will fit in the slow cooker
Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 10 3/4 ounce can Campbell’s Southwest Style Pepper Jack Soup
1 Chipotle pepper in Adobo Sauce, finely chopped
1 4 oz. can chopped mild green chilies
1 15 oz. can pinto beans, or black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can corn, drained
2 cups shredded pork from the Basic Pork Module , or substitute a 12 oz. can Chicken or roast beef,
2 cups grated Monterey Jack and Cheddar Cheese

12 warm flour tortillas, or if you prefer crunchy, substitute tostada shells
Salsa
Grated Monterey Jack and Cheddar Cheese

1. Cut a lid from the top of the pumpkin about 2" wide; scrape the seeds and strings from the top and inside the pumpkin with a big spoon.
2. Sprinkle salt and pepper in the inside of the pumpkin and set it inside the slow cooker.
3. Mix the soup, chipotle pepper, green chilies, beans, corn, chicken, and cheese.
4. Pour the mixture into the pumpkin.
5. Place the pumpkin lid to the side of the pumpkin in the slow cooker.
6. Cover the slow cooker, turn it to low and cook for 4-6 hours, or until the pumpkin is tender.
7. To serve, spoon the filling along with some of the pumpkin onto the warm flour tortillas/
8. Add salsa and additional cheese; roll up and serve.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 360 Calories from Fat 100
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 28% Protein 16% Carb. 57%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 11 g
Saturated Fat 5 g
Cholesterol 20 mg
Sodium 716 mg
Total Carbohydrate 51 g
Dietary Fiber 4 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 14 g

Vitamin A 841% Vitamin C 25% Calcium 0% Iron 20%