Sausage & Rice Stuffed Pumpkins

• 3 small pie pumpkins (about 2 pounds each)
• 1/2 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
• 1 pound fresh mushrooms, chopped
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 medium green pepper, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups cooked long grain rice
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1. Preheat oven to 450u0b0. Cut a 3-in. circle around each pumpkin stem. Remove tops and set aside. Remove strings and seeds from pumpkins; discard seeds or save for roasting.
2. In a large skillet, cook sausage, vegetables and garlic over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink, breaking up sausage into crumbles; drain. Remove from heat; stir in rice, 3/4 cup cheese, eggs, parsley, salt and thyme.
3. Place pumpkins in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan; fill with rice mixture. Replace pumpkin tops. Bake 30 minutes.
4. Reduce oven setting to 350u0b0. Bake 25-35 minutes longer or until pumpkin is tender when pierced with a knife and a thermometer inserted in filling reads 160u0b0. Sprinkle remaining cheese over filling. Cut to serve.

pie pumpkins, sausage, mushrooms, onions, green pepper, garlic, long grain rice, parmesan cheese, eggs, fresh parsley, salt, thyme

Taken from www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/sausage-rice-stuffed-pumpkins/ (may not work)