Carbonada en Zapallo + Other Creative Pumpkin Eats #RecipeRoundUp

Last night, as we were leaving an event, one of the farmers asked if I would like to take any of the pumpkins or gourds. Ummm...you do not have to ask me twice! I had been looking for the perfect pumpkin to make my version of Carbonada en Zapallo, an Argentinian beef stew in a pumpkin. And I saw it; sitting right there on the table. So, I confirmed that she really meant I could take one and I tucked it under my arm as we headed to the car.

"What are you doing with that?" asked Jake.

It's dinner.

"Oh, okay," he said.

I love that it doesn't even baffle him that I planned to cook an enormous pumpkin for dinner! We adore pumpkins in all shapes and sizes.

So, I'm sharing a creative pumpkin recipe of mine - down below - and some other delicious pumpkin treats for Thanksgiving from some of my favorite bloggers. It's an amazing list...

Pumpkin Recipes from Favorite Bloggers

recipes shared with permission, listed in alphabetical order

• 3 Bean Pumpkin Chili by Lifestyle Food Artistry
• Baked Pumpkin Arancini by Caroline's Cooking
• Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes by Love and Confections
• Baked Pumpkin French Toast Casserole by Alida's Kitchen
• Caramel Pumpkin Cake by Feeding Big
• Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread by Party Food and Entertaining
• Curried Pumpkin Hummus by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Curried Pumpkin Waffles by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Gluten Free Pumpkin 7 Layer Bars by Fearless Dining
• Gluten Free Pumpkin Dip by Gluten Free Crumbley
• Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie Spoon Bread by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Heart-Healthy Pumpkin Chili by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Pasta and Kale with Creamy Pumpkin Sauce by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Pumpkin and Ricotta Ravioli in Pesto Sauce by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Pumpkin, Broccoli, Cheddar Soup by Caroline's Cooking
• Pumpkin Buttermilk Biscuits by The Redhead Baker
• Pumpkin Cappuccino Soup by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Pumpkin Cheesecake in Pumpkins by Desserts Required
• Pumpkin Cobbler by Love and Confections
• Pumpkin Coconut Bars by Lifestyle Food Artistry
• Pumpkin Cookie Butter Cinnamon Buns by Grumpy's Honeybunch
• Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins by Alida's Kitchen
• Pumpkin Cranberry Mini Muffins by Feeding Big
• Pumpkin Eggnog Custard by Simply Healthy Family
• Pumpkin Fudge by Feeding Big
• Pumpkin Granola Squares by Simply Healthy Family
• Pumpkin Hummus by A Palatable Pastime
• Pumpkin Pie Hummus with Cinnamon Apple Chips by Simply Healthy Family
• Pumpkin Pie Pudding by Grumpy's Honeybunch
• Pumpkin Spice Cranberry Crunch Muffins by Renee's Kitchen Adventures
• Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate by A Palatable Pastime
• Pumpkin Spice Molasses Cookies by Feeding Big
• Pumpkin Tres Leches by Love and Confections
• Savory and Spicy Pumpkin Soup by Feeding Big
• Spiced Pumpkin-Beetroot Muffins by Caroline's Cooking
• Spiced Pumpkin Bread by Renee's Kitchen Adventures
• Vegan Mushroom Pumpkin Chili by A Palatable Pastime

Carbonada en Zapallo

Here we go. Bear in mind: this is my version. I used whatever vegetables I had in my refrigerator. And I used ground beef; it's typically made with cubed meat. But I didn't have time to braise the meat for several hours the way I would have wanted.

Ingredients

• 1 large pumpkin (mine was probably a foot in diameter, just make sure it fits in your oven with the stem intact)
• olive oil
• 1 pound ground beef, prefer organic and grass-fed
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped, approximately 1 C
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 C chopped celery
• 6 C chicken stock
• 1 C water
• 1 C wine (I used some leftover white wine)
• 2 C chopped green beans
• 3 C chopped kale
• 2 C chopped zucchini
• 3 C chopped tomatoes
• 1 T oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• freshly ground salt
• freshly ground pepper

Procedure

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cut the top off the pumpkin. Scoop out the seeds and strings.

Pour 1 C water + 1 C chicken stock into the pumpkin. Replace the lid of the pumpkin. Roast the oven for about an hour. In the meantime, make the soup.

Add a splash of olive oil to a large Dutch oven. Cook the onions, garlic, and celery until the onions are softened and translucent. Add in the ground beef and cook until fully browned. Stir in the green beans and kale. Pour in the remaining liquid and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Add in the tomatoes, zucchini, oregano, and bay leaves. Let simmer for 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Carefully ladle the soup into the roasted pumpkin and bake another 30 minutes to finish cooking. Serve hot. As you serve into individual bowls, spoon with some of the pumpkin flesh into each bowl.