Pumpkin Stew
Serves 8 to 10

• 1 10- to 12-pound pumpkin
• 2 16-ounce cans kidney, black, or pinto beans
• 1 bell pepper, cut into inch-thick slices
• 1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 4 medium potatoes, cubed
• 3 carrots, peeled and cubed
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and diced
• 2 celery sticks, sliced
• 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 2 1/2 cups water or vegetable stock
• salt and pepper to taste
• vegetable oil (for coating)

Carve a hole in the top of the pumpkin and remove the seeds. (If you love snacking on pumpkin seeds, save them for this recipe!) Clean out the stringy insides. Scoop out 2 cups of pumpkin and cube. Then set the pumpkin aside.

In a large pot, simmer the cubed pumpkin chunks, beans, bell pepper, onion, potatoes, carrots, garlic, celery, tomatoes, and vegetable stock or water (tap water should be fine unless the recipe calls for bottled water) for 35 to 45 minutes. Stir occasionally and season to your taste.

Place the pumpkin in a shallow pan and place the stew inside the pumpkin. Brush the outside of the pumpkin with a very light coating of vegetable oil.

Bake the pumpkin and stew in oven at 350°F for 2 hours, or until the pumpkin is tender. Serve out of the carved pumpkin while hot.