Dinner in a Pumpkin

1 medium pumpkin, about 4 pounds, cleaned out.

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
3/4 cup onion, chopped
3/4 cup celery, chopped (I don't use)
1/3 cup green pepper, chopped (I don't use)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 Teaspoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 4 oz can of mushrooms
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cups cooked rice
1 can water chestnuts, drained

Move oven rack to its lowest level.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Brown ground beef with the onion, celery and peppers, cook until soft.
Add next 7 ingredients.
Mix well and put in pumpkin.
Put top back on pumpkin.
Place on foil lined cookie sheet and bake for 1 1/2 hours.
To serve, scoop out pumpkin along with meat mixture.

To decorate:
Use toothpicks to attach black olives for eyes, carrot of nose, press in whole cloves for mouth and fresh parsley for hair around opening.

Recipe from Janice