Hag Hash

a 4-pound pumpkin
water
1 pound ground beef
1 pound pork sausage
1 large onion
1/2 green pepper
1/2 zucchini
1 (6 oz.) can tomato juice
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon thyme
fresh ground pepper

Cut out the top of the pumpkin. Scrape out the seeds and fibers. Rinse out with water. Place pumpkin in cauldron and cover with tap water. Simmer in lightly salted water until almost tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.

While the pumpkin is simmering, chop the onion, green pepper and zucchini into one half inch pieces. Mince (chop very fine) the garlic clove.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Carefully -- drain out the water. Watch out! The pumpkin will be hot, so remember to use your oven mitts. Dump water out of the cauldron. Place pumpkin to the side.

Add the cooking oil and the garlic to the cauldron. Cook for 1 minute. Add the onions to the cauldron and cook for 1 minute. Add the ground beef and sausage and brown the meat.

Remove the cauldron from the heat. Add the green pepper, zucchini, tomato juice, salt, basil, thyme, and the fresh ground pepper. Stir. Spoon the concoction into the pumpkin. Carefully replace the lid.

Place the pumpkin into the baking dish. Add about 1/2 inch of water to the bottom of the baking dish to keep the pumpkin from burning.

Brush the pumpkin with cooking oil.

Bake for 1 hour. Using your oven mitts, remove the baking dish from the oven. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Serve your Hag Hash with a cackle and a grin!