Eggs in a Mini Pumpkin with Bacon and Roasted Squash Hash Recipe

Eggs in a Mini Pumpkin are a beautiful way to put a fall recipe on your table. The mini pumpkins have been baked with eggs inside and nestled on a Roasted Squash and Bacon Hash.

Baked mini pumpkins is the best pumpkin recipe for brunch, breakfast for dinner or just because Fall is here.

Ok, I know it's fall.  It has to be fall... somewhere in the world it has to be fall.  How do I know?  Because the grocery store is filled with pumpkins and squashes of every size and every color.  It doesn't cool down vey much in October or November so, you have twitch for the pumpkin to appear.

What to Serve with Eggs in a Mini Pumpkin

Use your own imagination of fun things to serve with them like the Bacon and Roasted Squash Hash in the recipe below or roasted potato hash.

Mexican Street Corn Salad or Elote go very well with the eggs in mini pumpkin.

So does Pumpkin Risotto anything that sounds like fall.

Give this recipe a try for a fun fall dinner or weekend breakfast.  I'm sure your family will be just as impressed as mine was.  

Just remember that the eggs in mini pumpkins will cook a little bit more after you remove them from the oven so, if you put the lid all the way on for that "Surprise!" factor, put the lid on at the very last minute.

Ingredients for Baked Eggs in a Mini Pumpkin with Bacon Butternut Squash Hash

• Mini edible pumpkins that fit in the palm of your hand such as Jack-Be-Littles. Choose pumpkins that have an attractive stem and very few bruises or scars. They should be ripe, of course.
• 4 large or extra large eggs. More if the pumpkins will hold them.
• Butternut, Red Kuri Squash or a small Sugar Pumpkin- a medium to small size squash will do.
• Onion- I prefer yellow or white onion. Red onion's flavor can become too strong when roasted or sauteed until brown.
• Bacon! If you like thick cut bacon, now is the time to use it. Dice it into small pieces call lardons and sauté.
• Vegetable or mild olive oil. I use melted butter for the insides of the pumpkins.
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Garlic, minced
• Herbs with Fall flavor such as sage or rosemary.
• Salt and cracked black pepper

How to Prepare Mini Pumpkins for Roasting or Baking

Prepare the pumpkins-

• Baking eggs in your pumpkin starts at the grocery store. Choose edible pumpkins that fit in the palm of your hand.
• Choose pumpkins with nice looking stems and as few blemishes as possible.
• Make this recipe soon after buying the pumpkins. The pumpkins, especially the stems, will begin to shrivel if they sit too long in the fridge and the stems will not be as cute.
• Wash the pumpkins being sure to remove any grit or dirt.
• Cut the tops off the pumpkin, not just the stem. Cut off the top in a way that make a "lid" that will sit nicely on top of the pumpkins when baked.
• Remove the seeds a clean out the insides of the pumpkins making them smooth inside.
• Brush the insides of the pumpkins with oil or butter as soon as you cut them so that the do not brown or oxidize.

Tip: The pumpkins will need flavor-

• Use melted garlic butter or olive oil to flavor the insides of the pumpkins.
• Or, infuse the oil with herbs like rosemary, sage or thyme by placing herbs in a small sauce pan and covering with oil. Heat the oil on medium-low heat until the oil reaches around 140 degrees F. lower heat and continue to heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the herb and oil mixture to cool at room temperature.
• Be sure to season the insides with salt and pepper.

How to Roast or Bake Mini Pumpkins in the Oven

• Roasting requires a hot temperature.
• Prep all of your pumpkins ahead of time as described above.
• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
• Spray a sheet pan with cooking spray or oil. A nonstick pan works well.
• Place the prepared pumpkins cut side down on the sheet pan.
• Wrap the stems with tin foil so they do not shrivel and burn.
• Roast until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Turn the pumpkins over halfway through the time.
• Tip: the tops may cook faster than the rest of the pumpkin so check them for doneness halfway through.
• When the pumpkins are tender, crack an egg into each one and return to the oven.
• Cook until the egg is your desired temperature. I like subside up so that the egg white is cooked but the yolk is still a little runny.
• Remove from oven and sprinkle with salt and black pepper.
• Spoon some Hash onto the center of a plate and top with a mini pumpkin then, serve.

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Don't forget to check out our 200 Appetizers Cookbook!  Order now so you will get it before the holiday party season starts  Our Awesome publisher, Gibbs-Smith is offering 35% off to help us celebrate.  But!  You need to hurry!  The offer is only good through October 31, 2012.

Here is the inspiration for this Recipe

Pumpkins can only mean one thing, it's time for my annual fall ritual.  Every year, I see these baby pumpkins at the market and fill the child seat of my grocery cart to the brim with the cute little things vowing to find a way to use them.  And, every year, they sit on my counter and get in the way while I bake other things.  

If the pumpkins are lucky, I may get in a "crafty" mood and use them as a center piece or a flower arrangement or a place tag on the table of our annual "Very Merry Un-Thanksgiving Dinner."  As the weeks go by, the pumpkins get covered with Arizona dust and brown spots and I must make yet another "new fall's" resolution... find a way to use them next year!

Well, this is it!  This is the year that I come through on my promise to all the little pumpkins who have come before.  I have found a way to use them!  Don't laugh, it's not as easy as you think.  You can't do just any ol' thing with little baby pumpkins.  They are far too cute to throw into a food processor and hit "puree."  But,they aren't really big enough to fill with hot soup or fiery chili.  Not if you are feeding grown men and teenagers anyway.

This year, I decided to make mini pumpkins the main attraction of  our weekly "breakfast for dinner" night.  Genius!  I know.  They are the perfect size to hold exactly one egg.   Don't panic!  The Eggs in Mini Pumpkins are much easier to make than they appear.  It only takes a little chopping and scooping of seeds.  You can even throw them in the oven on the same pan with the Bacon and Roasted Squash Hash I made to go with them.  Better yet, if you cover the sheet pan with foil, you might not have to wash it!  Add some bacon slices and toast with jam and you have an entire breakfast, brunch or dinner.

Mmmm.... blackberry jam.

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So, where did I get the inspiration?  Have you seen all of the "eggs in a _____(insert your favorite vegetable here)" photos going around the internet?  Like the Eggs in an Avocado and the Eggs in an Onion photos on Pinterest?  

Don't forget the Flower Power Eggs in bell pepper rings that started the craze?  Well, you may not realize that the "Eggs in a _____ " sensation was started by my very own sister, Donna Kelly.  That's right, an early contributor of our very own Everyday Southwest.  Yes, that Donna.  

I'm sure I don't have to tell you how awesome it is to blog with a partner that is so creative and fun and that inspires me all the time.  But (just between you and me) her Flower Power Eggs are a little hard to live up to.  Talk about pressure.  I have been thinking and thinking of something special to do with eggs and "Bam!" here came these little pumpkins.  No.  No sibling rivalry here, just a little fun inspiration.

 

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