Tiger Mini Pumpkins filled with Pearl Couscous and Sauteed Mushrooms

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Fall is finally here! Temperatures in the high 70’s feel so pleasant.

I was taken with these little “Baby Tiger” mini pumpkins.

So many varying combinations of white, orange and green.

What should I make with them? Roast ’em and stuff ’em.

Use a sharp paring knife to slowly and carefully cut out the stem tops. Best to do this without young children or pets running about.

I found it easiest to remove the cut cap by first pushing one side down into the pumpkin, then grabbing the cap and lifting it out.

Remove all the fibers and seeds and rinse out.

Brush the insides and the top of the outsides of the shells with a little oil, or you could just spray with non-stick spray.

Bake at 375 degrees for 40-50 minutes until they are soft. About halfway through I like to turn them over.

For the filling, cook up some giant pearl couscous according to the package directions.

Any tiny pasta like orzo would also work.

Season with a little bouillon, regular or organic (I like the Organic Gourmet bouillon cubes), and little olive oil.

Fill the little babies up and top with a little cheese.

This one was for Quill, who has reverted back to being on the fence about mushrooms.

But for us other fungi lovers, I used some fresh shiitake mushrooms.

It’s so nice to have a local source of fresh shiitakes. They have a much more delicate taste than the dried ones, but I like those too.

Remove the tough stems and discard them, or save them to use in making broth.

Slice the caps and saute them with some garlic and wine. Season lightly with a little sea salt and pepper.

Divide equally among the pumpkins…

and get out the spoons, time to eat!

I told my kids that if they scoop out the cooked pumpkin and eat it too, it counts as a serving of vegetables.

One ate the pumpkin, and the other didn’t. Can you guess who did and who didn’t?  -_-

Happy Fall!