Stuffed Pumpkin: Bacon Jalapeno Dip

On Monday night for family home evening, we had our good friends, the Mertz's over.  James and Jenessa  recently moved here from Tucson.  Brett and James have been very good friends for years, they grew up in Willcox together.  We like that they live close now!

Jenessa offered to bring tomato soup and bread bowls (you can buy the bread bowls here, they are so worth it!).  I gave my first attempt at baking something in a pumpkin, and whipped up some apple crisp.  It was a fun and relaxing evening.  The stuffed pumpkin was a hit!  I'll probably make it again...this week!    

And can I tell you how much I love eating on the back patio!  We eat out there nearly every single night, and I can't get enough of it!  I'll be disappointed when the evenings are too biting to enjoy the patio, but then we can make s'mores around the firepit and Christmas will be here--so I won't be that disappointed :)

Landon was in a goofy and happy mood, so we had fun interacting and engaging with him a lot.  He was so smiley and corny the whole night long.

So, in case you want to test the waters, and try baking "something" in a pumpkin--give this easy appetizer a try!

Bacon Jalapeno Dip baked in a Pumpkin

original recipe found here

2-3 pound pumpkin, cleaned out

16 oz. cream cheese

2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

2 T. finely chopped jalapeno

2 T. finely chopped onion

1/2 cup cooked and crumbled bacon

3/4 cup salsa verde

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Place cream cheese in large, microwave-safe bowl and soften

Stir in the remaining ingredients

Place the dip in cleaned pumpkin and place it in a baking dish with 1 inch of water.  Lightly cover the pumpkin with foil.  Place the pumpkin and baking dish in oven and bake for about one hour, or until the dip is hot and bubbling around the edges.  Put the top of the pumpkin in the last 20 minutes, so it looks "baked". 

We served it with the "insides" of our bread bowls and tortilla chips--both were delicious!

Enjoy!