Stuffed Pumpkin - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 medium pumpkin - make sure the pumpkin will sit in a 9X13 pan
1 lb. cubed chicken breast
1 medium onion, chopped
3 Tbsp. butter
1 celery rib with leaves, chopped
1 apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1/4 cup dried currants or raisins
1 tsp. grated orange peel
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg, fresh, if possible
1 cup apple cider
1/2 cup medium bulgar
salt to taste
1/4 cup slivered almonds

Preparation

1) Soak bulgar in enough warm water to cover for 15 minutes, then drain.
2) Cut the top off of the pumpkin and hollow it, reserving 2 cups of the pulp, which you should dice. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3) In a Dutch oven, heat butter over medium heat. Add onions and cook until they are beginning to soften. Add chicken and saute until the onions are soft and the chicken is beginning to brown. Add the celery, diced pumpkin, apple, currants/raisins, orange peel, salt, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg to the chicken mixture. Cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the cider and bring to a boil. Lower the heat so the cider is simmering and simmer for 20 minutes, covered.
4) Remove from heat and add the bulgar and salt.
5) Stuff the pumpkin shell with the bulgar/chicken mix, cover with the top of the pumpkin and place in a 9 X 13 dish.
6) Bake for 2 hours or until the pumpkin is tender. It will start to slump in on itself a bit when it's ready.
7) Open the pumpkin (be careful of steam!) and sprinkle the stuffing with the almonds.
8) Serve with cranberry sauce.