Ingredients

6-pound pumpkin with fairly straight sides
¾ lb lean ground beef
1 tsp oregano
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 onion, diced
2 large stalks celery, diced
½ med green bell pepper, diced
2 lb mozzarella cheese, cubed
16 oz tomato sauce
1 ½ cups water
1 (15.25 oz) can corn, drained
6 large mushrooms, sliced
¾ cup instant rice

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil.

Step 2

Wash the pumpkin and cut off the top at an angle to form lid that won’t fall through. Clean out and discard seeds and string.

Step 3

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef, oregano, salt, and pepper in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Add onion, celery, and bell pepper; cook 3 minutes. Add mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, water, corn, mushrooms, and instant rice. Stir well.

Step 4

Pour mixture from the skillet into the pumpkin and replace lid.

Step 5

Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour. When serving, scrape the insides of the pumpkin to get some of the soft flesh in each bowl.