Pumpkin-Turkey Medley

This recipe comes from the book Pumpkin: A Super Food for All 12 Months of the Year by DeeDee Stovel, my original inspiration for this blog. She says the dish is adapted from Martha Storey's sensationally simple recipe for putting together the last bits of Thanksgiving turkey with mashed pumpkin. Both the Hub and I liked this casserole and ate it for several days in a row, but added more chicken broth each time we heated it up. Ours was a little dry. It could also be made with chicken.

Pumpkin-Turkey Medley

1 1/2 pound sugar pumpkin, seeds and fibers removed, cut into chunks (or 2 cups mashed, cooked pumpkin)
Olive oil, for rubbing on the pumpkin
2 cups bread cubes
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon crumbled dried sage
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chicken broth
2 -3 cups cooked turkey, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar

1.  Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2.  Thoroughly wash the outside of the pumpkin. Rub lightly with olive oil and roast for 45 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. Cool slightly, then peel off the outer skin and coarsely mash enough to make 2 cups. While the pumpkin is roasting, spread the bread cubes on a cookie sheet and toast in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.

3.  Reduced the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Grease a 2-quart casserole dish with butter.

4.  Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onion in bubbling butter for 5 to 7 minutes, until soft and lightly browned. Stir in the croutons, sage, salt, and pepper to taste and cook for 1 minute. Mix in the broth, pumpkin, and turkey and transfer to the prepared casserole dish.

5.  Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the cheddar on top and return to the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is bubbly. Serve steaming hot.