Pumpkin stuffed with Cranberry-Raisin Bread Pudding

Image from Southern Living.

I made this bread pudding one year but never tried it in individual pumpkins. I think the idea is cute and would be great for when you host Thanksgiving or a fall party with friends. I'll just have to host Thanksgiving this year and try this out or just throw a party for my friends and try it out. One way or another, I'm going to have to try this out.

Ingredients:   Pumpkin*, 2 Tbsp butter, melted, 2 Tbsp sugar, 2 eggs, 1 c sugar, .5 c butter melted, .75 c half-and-half, .75 c chopped pecans*, 1 loaf of raisin bread, .5 c fresh cranberries, 1 vanilla bean, 2 Tbsp cornstarch, 1/8 tsp sea salt, 1 Tbsp butter, 2 Tbsp lemon zest, 1/3 c fresh lemon juice.

Instructions: (1) Preheat oven to 350F. Cut off the top of a 2.5-3.5 lb. pumpkin. Keep the lid with the stem. Scoop out pumpkin seed and pulp and use for another time. Brush inside of pumpkin with 1 Tbsp melted butter and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp sugar. Top with lid and bake for 35 minutes. (2) Brush inside of baked pumpkin with another Tbsp of melted butter and sprinkle with another Tbsp of sugar. (3) Stir eggs, sugar, .5 c melted butter, half-and-half, pecans, cranberries and bread that has been cut into 1" cubes. Spoon mixture into a greased 8" square pan. (4) Bake Pumpkin and bread pudding at 350F for 25 minutes. (5) While pumpkin and pudding are baking, cook the vanilla bean, 1 c water, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan over med heat, stirring until smooth and thickened. Stir in butter, lemon zest and lemon juice and cook until thoroughly heated. Removed vanilla bean. (6) Let pumpkin cool, then spoon pudding into pumpkin and serve with sauce.

*I toast the pecans before using them.
*You can use individual pumpkins (.5lb). Scoop out seeds and pulp. Sprinkle each shell with 1 tsp. butter and 1 tsp sugar and bake with bread pudding. You don't need to pre-bake if you are using smaller, individual pumpkins. You will need about 12 little pumpkins.