Three unusual and extraordinary Thanksgiving recipes for your dining pleasure, two for before and one for after. Try to make the onions in advance, because they taste even better the next day!

Stuffed Pumpkin
1 small-medium pumpkin
1 1/2 – 2 cup cooked brown rice
1/4 pound cheddar cheese cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/4 cup sliced scallions
1 Tbsp fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried
1/3 cup coconut cream
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut a large cap from the top of the pumpkin at a 45-degree angle.  Remove the cap, and clear out the seeds and strings from the cap and inside the pumpkin.  Season the inside of the pumpkin generously with salt and pepper.  Place the pumpkin into either a frying pan with raised sides, or a Dutch oven that is slightly larger than the pumpkin.

Toss together the rice, cheese, garlic and herbs. Season with pepper and pack the mix into the pumpkin until it is almost completely filled.  Stir the coconut cream with nutmeg and a bit more salt and pepper, and pour it into the pumpkin. The ingredients should be very moist.  Replace the cap.

Bake the pumpkin for 90-120 min until the contents are bubbling and the flesh of the pumpkin is tender enough to be pierced easily with a knife tip.  Remove the cap 20 min before the end so the stuffing browns on top.  Serve in slices, like a pie.

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Glazed Braised Onions

1 1/2 lbs peeled yellow onions
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 cup white wine
1-2 cups water 
1 dry red chili pepper (optional)
salt

Place onions in a single layer in a large flat frying pan.  Cover the onions with the white wine, diluted with water.  Mix together the olive oil, salt, sugar, dry red chili pepper, vinegar and tomato paste in a separate bowl, and then add to the onions.  Cover and boil for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.  Continue to boil until the water is gone and the onions begin to glaze.  Stir from time to time to prevent burning or sticking.  Remember to discard the red chili before serving. 

Turkey Soup

2 lbs turkey, either chopped (thawed) or as small cubes of leftovers  

2 med onions, diced

2 carrots, peeled and sliced thickly

2 stalks celery, sliced thinly

4-6 medium-large tomatoes

3 potatoes, diced

4 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole    

2 tablespoons prepared mustard

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 teaspoons turmeric

1 quart vegetable stock

salt and pepper to taste

Starting with the turkey, add each of these ingredients in order to a moderately large crockpot or soup pot.  Fill with stock, add extra water if necessary to just cover all the ingredients.  Set on high for 1 hr, and then turn down to low for 6-8 hrs more.  Soup pot inst
ructions: Place it in an oven at 200 degrees and come back at the end of the day.  

Happy Thanksgiving!!

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