Dinner in a Pumpkin - Halloween Tradition

We have done this for 2 years now and love it!
1 small to medium pumpkin
3/4 C chopped onion
1 Tbl butter
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
2 Tbl soy sauce
2 Tbl brown sugar
1 4 oz. can mushrooms, drained (optional)
1 10 3/4 oz. can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 C cooked rice

Cut off the pumpkin top and clean out all seeds and pulp. Use a black marking pen to draw a face on the pumpkin (we didn't do this 'cuz we like to eat most of the pumpkin).

Saute onions in butter in a large skillet. Add meat and brown. Drain. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, mushrooms, and soup. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes. Add cooked rice and simmer an additional 5 minutes. Pour mixture into pumpkin. Replace pumpkin top. Place the filled pumpkin on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 1 hour. The pumpkin itself should be tender when removed from the oven. Place on a serving platter. Serve the pumpkin as a vegetable along with the meat mixture.

Pork Tenderloin and Poppy Seed Salad

This is what we had at our Relief Society dinner last month. Really really yummy!

Pork Tenderloin

3-4 pounds pork tenderloin (4 tenderloins, each about 8-10 inches long)
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ginger
Red food coloring (optional - we didn't use it)
Chopped green onions and sesame seeds for garnish

Place tenderloins in glass baking dish. Combine garlic, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, and a drop or two of red food coloring; pour over meat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight, turning a couple of times. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Cover meat and marinade with lid or aluminum foil and bake about 2 hours. When ready to serve, slice at an angle into serving pieces. Place on serving platter and pour marinade on top. Garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

POPPY SEED SALAD

1 head green leaf lettuce (romaine, iceburg, both or whatever suits your fancy)
1/2 red onion left in rings (optional)
2 cans mandarin oranges
1 cup sliced almonds
6 tbls sugar

DRESSING

1 C. sugar

3/4 C. white vinegar

2 Tbl. mustard

2 Tbl. poppy seeds

1 1/2 C. oil

1/4 red onion

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. water
1. Mix lettuce, onion and oranges. Set aside.

2. Cook sugar and almonds over medium heat stirring constantly until sugar melts and almonds barely turn brown. There's a fine line between perfect and burnt! Immediately remove from heat and pour onto cookie sheet. Let cool. Break into pieces and sprinkle over lettuce mixture. Can be made in advance and placed in airtight baggie or container.

3. Dressing: Blend well in blender for 2-3 minutes. Serve with salad. Can be made in advance and chilled.