Stuffed pumpkin

I created this from a couple of other recipes:
http://www.countryliving.com/recipefinder/baked-stuffed-pumpkin-3090
http://www.foreveryoungadult.com/2011/10/25/how-to-be-a-ladynerd-how-to-host-a-tv-party/
and 
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130704456

It turned out just as good as it sounds.

Stuffed Pumpkin
1 sugar or pie type pumpkin
1 cup uncooked wild rice
1 cut up granny smith apple (I simply cored and cut the apple into bite-sized pieces)
1/2 cup cubed sharp white cheddar
2 sweet Italian turkey sausages
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dried cranberries
3 slices of cooked and crumbled bacon (optional)
salt and pepper

Cook the wild rice according to package directions.
Cut the top off the pumpkin and scoop out the strings and seeds. This was the hardest part for me :) Poke the inside with a fork and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Decase and brown the sausage in a hot skillet. Add the apple and saute for a few minutes, until it begins to soften. Add the chicken broth, cook for a couple more minutes, set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the rice, dried cranberries, some salt and pepper, cheese, and bacon. Then add the sausage and apples. Stir.

Stuff the pumpkin. Really really cram the stuffing in there until you can no longer stuff it. Bake until pumpkin is done. Mine took about 90 minutes, ymmv.
To serve, I scooped the mixture with a healthy amount of pumpkin meat onto a plate. But you could also empty the pumpkin into a casserole dish and scrape the sides out.

For more flavor, you should add some fresh herbs to the rice mixture: thyme and oregano would be great, cinnamon and nutmeg would also be welcome. Also, this is gluten-free! It could be easily vegetarian (skip the sausage and add herbs, more apples and rice, sub wine or vegetable broth for the chicken broth) or vegan (vegetarian, but skip the cheese)