MEAT MIXTURE FOR PUMPKIN OR MEAT PIE. A family recipe from my Mom

2 pounds ground meat My mom used beef, my my aunt used a combination of ground pork and beef and I use ground lamb.

1 small onion I dice the onion very small

When cooked add salt, pepper, celery salt (1/2 tsp), small amount allspice, very small amount of ground clove, 2 Tbsp tapioca, 1/2 cup water. Mix and cook for a few minutes. May add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. Depending on the pan I use, I may add a little oil to the bottom of the pan before I cook the meat and onion. I cook the meat and onion at the same time. After cooking, I drain off any fat that has accumulated. I then add the spices~this time I used 1/4tsp of allspice and half the amount of clove. After tasting, I added a bit more of each. Once the spices are fragrant, just a few minutes, I add the tapioca and water. I don’t use walnuts and don’t remember my Mom using them either.

Pumpkin for stuffing My mom liked a darker pumpkin, she said they were “sweeter”, with a nice stem that will fit in the oven. To prep the pumpkin cut the lid, angling the cut a bit so the lid sits on top without falling in. Scrape out the seeds and stringy stuff. I usually lightly salt the inside of the cavity before filling with meat.

There are no directions for baking on the recipe, it isn’t a very modern recipe, just a card in my box, written by my mom. What the recipe doesn’t say, is that you need to wrap the stem with a collar of foil so it doesn’t burn. I use a pie dish, foil lined for easy clean up and a splash of water in the bottom. I bake it around 375’ until the pumpkin flesh is tender to the touch.

Enjoy.