Harvest Pumpkin Stew- Easy Impressive Meals on a Budget
If you’re anything like me, fall is busy. There are kids to prep for school and get out the door every day, chores, work and a mountain of items that need to be done. Welcome to the world of motherhood! Here is an easy recipe that satisfies the heartiest of appetites and is both decorative and easy to make! Prepare and serve stew right in a hollowed out pumpkin-perfect for fall meals.
You might just be super mom after all, but you definitely will earn some creative points for serving this dish. Even my pickiest of eaters enjoy Harvest Pumpkin Stew and it looks wonderful for a potluck, church supper or even a company dinner. (Dare I add, “It’s cheap to make, too?). Serve this as centerpiece with fall leaves on a plate below or surround it with small gourds, red grapes and walnuts. It’s beautiful food to eat and enjoy!
Photo credit- http://www.flickr.com/photos/teo/1314249/
Harvest Pumpkin Stew
INGREDIENTS
- 2.5 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 cup water
- 4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 5 carrots, sliced
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 onion, chopped
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons beef bouillon granules
- 1 5-6 pound pumpkin
DIRECTIONS
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add celery, garlic and onions and sauté for two minutes. Place beef in the saucepan and cook until evenly brown. Mix in the water, potatoes, carrots and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer approximately 2 hours.
- Dissolve the bouillon into the beef mixture.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees .
- Cut top off the pumpkin and remove seeds and pulp. Place the pumpkin in a heavy baking pan. Fill the pumpkin with the beef mixture. Brush outside of the pumpkin with remaining oil.
- Bake in the preheated oven 2 hours, or until tender. Serve the stew from the pumpkin, scraping out some of the pumpkin meat with each serving.