Dinner in a Pumpkin

I have made this recipe every single year for the last 8 years, around Halloween time.  I absolutely love it because it is so festive, delicious, and fun.  But it does take a lot of work and time so that is why I only make it once a year.  I always invite friends over and it is a smash hit.  I will be making it again next Sunday so I'll take a picture of it then and post it--SO cool and Martha Stewart looking!

Ingredients:
1 pumpkin (3-4 lbs. though I regularly 1.5 or double this recipe)
2 T. butter or margarine, melted
salad oil

Cut a three inch circle around stem of pumpkin, remove seeds and pulp.  Brush inside of pumpkin with butter.  Brush outside of pumpkin with salad oil.  Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup diced green pepper
3/4 t. salt
2 cups cooked rice
2 cans (10.5 oz each cream of chicken soup)
1 can (4 oz.) sliced mushrooms, drained
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 t. packed brown sugar

Cook beef in large skillet until brown.  Stir in vegetables and salt.  Simmer over low flame for 10 min.  Remove from flame and add remaining ingredients.  Spoon mixture into pumpkin and place in center of greased baking sheet, replace pumpkin top.  Bake in oven at 375 degrees for about 1 hour, until pumpkin is tender.  Makes 6-8 servings.  When serving, scrape off inside of pumpkin if desired.