Dinner in a Pumpkin

Ingredients:
One Pumpkin - 12-14 inches, cleaned well
6 cups rice, cooked
2 lbs. ground beef, browned
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 - 4 ounce cans sliced mushrooms
2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup
3 cups celery, chopped
2 cups onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. Gut and clean the pumpkin and set it on a baking sheet lined with foil. In a large skillet combine the cooked rice, browned hamburger, soy sauce, brown sugar, mushrooms, and cream of mushroom soup. Stir over low heat until combined. Meanwhile, saute the celery and onion in the butter until tender. Combine all the ingredients and pour the mixture into the cleaned pumpkin. Bake at 350 degrees for 90 minutes (with the lid OFF the pumpkin). Serve warm.

Time to Make: about 30 minutes prep time and 90 minutes cooking time
Difficulty: Easy
Recipe Origin: Mom

Jello Worms

Ingredients:
2 - 3 ounce packages of Raspberry Jello
1 pkg unflavored gelatin
3/4 cup whipping cream
3 cups boiling water
15 drops green food coloring
Tall container
100 flexible straws (or enough to fill your container)

Directions:
Combine gelatin packages in a bowl and add the boiling water. Let it cool to a lukewarm temperature and then add the drops of green food coloring and the whipping cream. Stretch out all your straws and place them flex-side down in your tall container. It is important that the straws fit tightly so that the jello stays in the straws. Pour the gelatin mixture over the straws so that each straw fills up and place in the refrigerator to set until firm.

To remove the jello from the straws, either run each straw under lukewarm water and squeeze the jello out with your fingers; or use a rolling pin to roll the jello out of the straws. Experiment and see which works best for you. Keep chilled until serving.

Time to Make: a few hours
Difficulty: Medium
Recipe Origin: http://www.instructables.com/id/Bowl-of-Worms-Anyone/

Easy Cinnamon Buns

Ingredients:
2 tubes of Pillsbury Rolls
1/4 cup of melted butter (more if needed)
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl melt the butter in the microwave. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in another small bowl and stir till blended. Coat each roll first in the melted butter and then in the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Stand the rolls up in a bread ban (or bundt pan) so that they are stacked together and wont fall over.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes, or until the rolls can be pulled apart and aren't gooey in the middle.

Time to Make: about 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Recipe Origin: Mom

Fresh Veggies in Vinegar Marinade

Ingredients:
1 tomato, sliced into strips or wedges
1 green pepper, sliced into strips
1 onion, sliced into thin strips
1 cucumber, sliced

Marinade:
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt

Directions:
Combine the marinade ingredients in a small saucepan and on low, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside and let cool before adding to the vegetables. Chop or slice all the vegetables and combine them in a bowl with the cooled marinade. Stir until everything is coated and store in the refrigerator until serving.

Time to Make: about 10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Recipe Origin: Mom

German Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients:
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup brown sugar
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 + 1/3 cup flaked coconut (I added a little extra)
1 cup pecans, chopped (optional)

Directions:
In a large skillet add all ingredients expect the coconut and pecans. Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in the coconut and pecans. Let cool until room temperature before using.

Time to Make: about 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Recipe Origin: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/german-chocolate-cake-frosting/