Witchin’ in the Kitchen at the Bubbling Cauldron

Meatballs:
1/2 c. ketchup
3/4 c. dry oatmeal
1/4 c. onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. each sage, basil, and/or thyme
1 1/2 lb. ground beef

Sauce:
15 oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 c. vinegar
3/4 to 1 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. rosemary
1 tsp. basil

Mix meatball mixture well. Roll into meatballs and broil on all sides. Place in casserole dish. Mix sauce ingredients well. Pour over meatballs. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for one hour. Good with baked potatoes. Meatball recipe is very flexible - adapt as you’d like. You may also use your own meatball recipe with this.

2 pounds lean beef stew meat, or roast cut into cubes
1 (1 ounce) envelope onion soup mix
1 (1 ounce) envelope brown gravy mix
1 1/2 cups apple cider
Optional: Diced apples, baby carrots, potatoes

Brown the beef in a skillet, seasoning with pepper. (Don’t use salt, since the soup mixes contain enough.) Place the beef, onion soup mix, brown gravy mix and apple cider in a slow cooker and cook on low for 5 to 8 hours. Or place ingredients in a casserole and cook in a 325 degree oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Notes: Add the optional ingredients and serve with fresh bread. If you leave those out it can served over cooked noodles or rice.

SOURCE: unknown

Stuffed Pumpkin

4 small pumpkins (individual serving size or big enough
to hold 1 1/2 to 2 cups of stuffing)
1 pound ground beef
3 cups cooked rice (brown or wild rice mixture is nice)
1 cup fresh, coarse bread crumbs
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup butter divided
2 cups chicken stock
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup applesauce
1 ounce apple jack or cider
Cut a hole in the top of the pumpkins and save the “lids”. Clean out the seeds, rub half the butter on all cut surfaces, and season the inside with salt & pepper. Arrange them in a baking dish and set on one side.

Saute the ground beef until nice and brown, and season it with salt & pepper. Remove it from the pan and, using the same pan, saute the onion, celery & carrot in a little vegetable oil until soft. This will pick up all the beef flavor from the pan. Add the pecans and saute about two minutes. Mix in the bread crumbs Combine with the beef. Taste the mixture and adjust the salt & pepper.

Divide the mixture evenly among the four pumpkins. Pour 1 cup chicken stock into the pan around the outside of the pumpkins. Dot generously with the other half of the butter, put the “lids” back on the pumpkins and cover loosely with foil.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, or until the pumpkin is very soft and well done. Add chicken stock to the dish if too much evaporates during baking - you want this nice and moist.

Remove the pumpkins from the pan. Add chicken broth to make 2 cups of liquid when combined with the juices in the baking dish. Strain into a small sauce pan, add the apple sauce and apple jack (or cider), and bring to a boil to reduce slightly and cook off the alcohol. Drizzle this over the pumpkins and serve more on the side.

four large servings