1 1/2 c. fresh white bread crumbs
Roasting pan
4 lb. pumpkin with a stem
1 tbsp. soft butter
Salt
2/3 c. finely minced onion
6 tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground sage
Pinch of pepper & nutmeg
1/2 c. finely grated Swiss cheese
2-2 1/4 c. light cream
1 bay leaf
Shallow buttered baking dish for pumpkin

Spread the bread crumbs in the roasting pan and let them dry out in a 300 degree oven, stirring occasionally. This will take 15 minutes. Meanwhile with a short knife, cut a cover 4 inches out of the top of the pumpkin. Scrape all stringy material and seeds out with ice cream scoop. Rub inside of pumpkin and cover with soft butter and sprinkle lightly with salt. While bread crumbs are drying cook the onions in the butter for 8-10 minutes over low heat until tender. Then stir in the crumbs. Let them cook slowly for 2 minutes to absorb the butter. Stir in seasonings and sage. Remove from heat and stir in cheese then spoon mixture into pumpkin. Pour in the cream, adding enough so mixture comes to within 1/2 inch of pumpkin rim. Lay bay leaf on top and replace cover. Bake pumpkin in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 1 1/2 hours until pumpkin is beginning to soften on outside and inside is beginning to bubble. Reduce oven to 350 degrees and bake 1/2 hour more until pumpkin is tender. If pumpkin is browning too much cover loosely with foil. May be kept warm in a 200 degree oven for 1/2 hour. To serve remove cover and dip into pumpkin with long handled spoon, scraping flesh off bottom and sides of pumpkin with each serving of the filling. For thinner soup use 6-7 pound pumpkin and same ingredients except replace the cream with enough chicken broth to come to 1/2 inch of rim. Stir 1/2 cup or so of heavy cream and a handful of parsley into soup just before serving.