Beef Stew in a Pumpkin

because it's getting close to the time where you take those un-carved pumpkins off your porch, i thought it would be the perfect time to share my beef stew in a pumpkin recipe! 

and once again the picture won't turn. whatever.

Beef Stew in a Pumpkin

3 lbs of stewing beef, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 TBS. olive oil

2 large onions, sliced

5-6 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch thick coins

5-6 large potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes

4 garlic cloves, minced

salt and pepper, to taste

2 TBS. flour

1 quart beef stock

water

1/4 cup ketchup

Stew Directions:

Sprinkle beef cubes with salt, pepper, and flour. Brown the floured beef cubes in a skillet with the olive oil. Towards the end of browning add in the garlic and onions. In a crock pot, add all the vegetables, meet, beef stock, ketchup, and water(if desired). cook on low for 5-8 hours until the vegetables are tender. 

Pumpkin Directions:

Cut a wide hole in the top of your pumpkin and gut it. Coat the indie and outside with melted butter. Cook at 300* for 1 hour.

When the stew is done cooking, pour it into the pumpkin and cook at 300* for 30 minutes to an hour before serving. Serve straight from the pumpkin! (you can even scrape some of the pumpkin off the sides as you serve to add flavor!)

Halloween

this holiday gets better every year because my kids are actually understanding and loving it. 

kellen learned to say trick-or-treat and actually started saying thank you instead of just thanks like he usually does. 

 trevor always loves to dress up but the kids did not appreciate it this year...they were both scream bloody murder when he came out dressed this way. kellen never warmed up to the idea of dad being dressed up.
oh and presley (who blends in with trevor's costume) had a bat dog costume that lasted about 30 seconds.

grandma dschaak and aunt kelcie came up to visit!

**so did out friends skye & fletcher (and their baby rayce) but i didnt take a family pic with my camera of them, but believe me, their costumes from "Where the Wild Things Are" were awesome

 idk why i can't get this picture from my phone to turn, but growing up we always went to my grandparents for halloween and my grandma foley always made stew in a pumpkin! i decided to start the tradition at our own house : )

and a pinterest FAIL. 

apparently since the inside of apples are wet the caramel won't stick. dang it. 

 these were actually from wednesday at the library parade!

 and thursday i dressed up for emma's preschool party!