Jamaican Stuffed Pumpkin

Yesterday while looking for this recipe I had the idea of posting some of our family favorite recipes here so they would be easy to find and share.  So perhaps I'll be posting some recipes in the future that do not use vegetables or eggs or chickens!

I got this recipe years ago from a friend.  Recently I was looking and looking for it, kind of a fall activity with all the pumpkins and squash around for cooking.  I couldn't find it but then did, so here it is for safe keeping and yummy cooking.  A good special supper dish.

Jamaican Stuffed Pumpkin
With a sharp knife, cut a 5 in. circle in the top of your pumpkin.  Scoop out the seeds and scrape clean.
Place in a kettle and cover w/salted water, cover, bring to boil, and simmer until nearly tender.  (30 min.)
Remove, drain, dry and sprinkle inside with salt.

Heat 2 T oil in pan.
Add 2 # ground beef, 6 oz smoked ham, 2 1/2 C onions, 1 chopped pepper.
Cook until the meat is brown and crumbly.
Remove from heat.
Mix together 2 1/2 tsp salt, 2 T olive oil, 2 tsp oregano, 1 tsp vinegar, 1 tsp pepper, dash red pepper, 2 cloves garlic.  Add to meat.
Add 3/4 C raisins, 1/3 C chopped green olives, 2 tsp minced capers, and 8 oz tomato sauce.
Mix.  Cover and cook over low heat.
Cool.
Add 3 eggs and 2 Tsp ginger
Stuff pumpkin with meat mixture.  Cover.
Bake for 1 hour at 350 in a shallow, greased pan.
Cool 10 - 15 minutes before serving.
8 -10 servings.

Naturally, you can adapt this as you like.