Trying out this new space. Kinda tired of Blogger. Not sure WordPress is the answer but I’d like to learn the process and then decide. In the meantime, I stuffed and baked a pumpkin. First time trying this. The results were very good but I did note a couple of things to do differently next time. I’ll share those lessons as we go along.
Start out with a small pumpkin used for baking, like Sugar Pie. Cut out a lid just like when you carve a jack-o-lantern. Scoop out the seeds and guts too. Then you bake this like you would any winter squash. I rubbed the inside of the pumpkin and the bottom of the lid with olive oil, seasoned it with salt and pepper, some ground cumin and a mixture of some freshly ground allspice and corriander seed. I baked the pumpkin and the lid at 450 degrees until it was just about tender. But I should have backed the pumpkin (not the lid) longer. Plain and simple, the pumpkin could have been softer.
After I put in the pumpkin to bake, I made the stuffing. I cut up a couple carrots, a big parsnip, and a leek and roasted them too, same way, along with the pumpkin. They cook quicker than the pumpkin, by the way.
While everything was roasting I cooked two cups of brown jasmine rice. Once the veggies were roasted and the rice was cooked, I combined the two, adding about 1/2 cup of cashew halves and 1/2 cup of golden raisins. The rice to veggie ratio is up to you. It’s all up to you. Use what veggies you like. 
Once the pumpkin is tender, remove it from the oven and fill it with the stuffing. Replace the pumpkin lid. Add a little moisture to the roasting pan – water or veggie broth – and bake everything for about another 15-20, to let everything heat through together. 
To serve you can either scoop out stuffing and scoop pumpkin away from the rind or slice segments of pumpkin/stuffing and scoop it out together. 
Just a test but I thought I’d use a menu from a local place in the International District. Actually, the menu is all over the walls. 
