Stuffed Pumpkin

1 (5 to 6 lb.) pumpkin
3 tbsp. hazelnut oil
6 ribs celery
1 medium leek, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pkg. smoked tofu
1 cup mushrooms, cubed
2 cups cooked wild rice
6 cups bread, cubed
1 cup dried cranberries or currants
1 cup hazelnuts
1/4 cup fresh sage or 2 Tbsp dried sage
1 tbsp. poultry seasoning
1-2 cups vegetable stock
2 tbsp. melted butter
1 tbsp. tamari (optional)
1 egg, 2 egg whites or egg substitute equal to 2 eggs (optional)
Ground pepper to taste

Remove top from pumpkin, "jack-o-lantern" style. Scoop out seeds and strings, leaving hollowed shell to stuff. Oil skin lightly, if you like. Set aside. Heat oil in wok or large skillet and saute celery and leek until limp. Add garlic and continue cooking. Next add mushrooms and saute until done, about 5 minutes. Add tofu and heat through.

Add wild rice, bread and cranberries or currants and stir to mix. Coarsely chop hazelnuts and add to mixture. Add seasonings and optional ingredients as you choose. Mix together. Add more stock or use eggs if you like a moister dressing; skip the eggs or use less stock if you prefer a drier one.

Stuff into pumpkin and bake at 350°F for about one and one half hours, until stuffing is heated through to the center and pumpkin is fork tender.

SERVES 8 as a main dish. Serve with mushroom gravy.

Vegetarian Burger Loaf

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped celery
2 tbsp. chopped green pepper
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 can vegetarian burger (20 oz.)
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 c. finely chopped pecans
1/2 c. finely chopped cashews
1/4 c. fine dry bread crumbs
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Melt butter in skillet. Add onion, celery, green pepper and garlic. Cover and cook at medium heat until vegetables are tender but not brown. Combine cooked vegetable mixture with remaining ingredients. Mix by hand or mixer until well blended.

Pour mixture into greased loaf pan (8 x 4 x 2 1/2 inches) or into a greased baking pan (8 x 8 x 2 inches). Bake at 375 degrees for 40-50 minutes. Allow loaf to cool 5 minutes for easier slicing. May be served with mushroom or tomato sauce. Serves 6.

Vegetarian Lasagna

1 medium eggplant, fresh
1 pkg. frozen spinach
1 pkg. lasagna noodles
1 pkg. (pint, sm. one) low-fat cottage cheese
1 jar Favorite meatless sauce
1 sm. pkg. Mozzarella lite cheese
Salt and pepper
Several plump tomatoes
Parsley flakes

Defrost spinach, drain as much water out with a colander as possible. Cut eggplant in rounds thinly sliced, lay on paper towels and lightly salt, lay another paper towel on top and continue layering with eggplant rounds, salt, paper towel etc. Place a heavy pan on a cookie sheet on top of stack, let sit for at least 1/2 hour to 2 hours. Cook lasagna noodles until tender. Mix cottage cheese with spinach in a bowl, salt and pepper and season to taste. In a casserole pan, spread a light layer of sauce. Add layer of noodles, layer of eggplant, sauce, layer of cottage cheese, spinach mix, another layer of noodles and repeat process until pan is full or desired height achieved. Top with remaining Mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce and cover evenly with thinly sliced peeled tomatoes. Sprinkle on parsley flakes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes, until eggplant is soft and has changed a brown color.