Pawleys Plantation Chef Shares Tasty Pumpkin & Lobster Recipe That's Perfect For Fall & Thanksgiving

The Grand Strand of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina has a lot of things going for it. Warm weather. Great golf courses. Miles of beautiful beach.

But we really haven't gotten much well-deserved praise for a new generation of gourmet chefs who have settled along the Grand Strand. They have the chops to work anywhere — in any fine dining restaurant in the world. But, like the rest of us who love living along the Grand Strand, they choose to put down roots here.

So, where's the love? Do you think fine dining here consists of seafood buffets, pancake houses and places where grits is considered a vegetable? Do our low prices for gourmet meals make you suspicious? Don't think they can be good because we don't charge outrageous prices? Well, we don't have to charge New York prices because — duh — we ain't in New York.

So here's a little unabashed bragging — the Grand Strand is home to some of the best chefs in the western world. Bar none. And you get to sample their fare at reasonable prices and in some of the most charming establishments this side of the Mississippi.

One of the finest chefs is Ernest Bledsoe, executive chef at Pawleys Plantation, a beautiful little golf resort about 30 miles south of Myrtle Beach.

If you stay at Pawleys Plantation, you can eat your way through Ernest's tasty creations. Here's a really good deal: a three-night Turkey Day package that's easy on the wallet and includes golf, accommodations and a gourmet Thanksgiving day feast for just $272 per person.

Whenever you're bunking in Myrtle Beach, Ernest makes the ride south to Pawleys well worth it, especially on Thursday and Friday nights when he serves up two gourmet dinners for just $30. That's $15 each.

But, at that low price, you're probably wanting to ask: is Ernest's food really big-city good? Honestly, no. It's better than that. It's New York, out on the town, mouth-watering great.

Recently, Ernest has been in the mood to create something that's even more special than his usual menu items. He got into the spirit of Fall and started thinking about just what he could do with some little personal pumpkins.

So, in celebration of all the pumpkins staged on suburban front porches everywhere, here's a peek at what he came up with. Now, we're not giving away any trade secrets; he recently shared this with the local newspaper, The Sun News.

Yes, you can try this at home. You could even start a new tradition and make this treat for Thanksgiving eve. Your family will thank you for it.

And, they're sure to be very impressed.

Maine Lobster & Vanilla Risotto Stuffed Baby Pumpkins

6 Jack be little pumpkins
1.Cut the pumpkin tops off (make the opening wide to leave plenty of room for the stuffing).
2.Scrape out the seeds with a spoon, and set aside.
3.Place 1 heaping tablespoon of compound butter (recipe below) inside the pumpkins spreading to cover the bottom and sides
4.Bake the pumpkins in a pre-heated 350-degree oven, for about 20 – 25 minutes (until slightly al dente.

Compound Butter

1/2-pound of butter at room temperature
1/4-cup honey
1/4-cup light brown sugar
1/2-tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2-tablespoon ground nutmeg
1/2-tablespoon ground ginger
1/2-teaspoon salt

Risotto

1 cup Arborio (risotto) rice
2 cups of lobster stock
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 leaves of fresh sage
1/2 pound Maine lobster
salt and pepper to taste

In a hot sauté pan start with one tablespoon of vegetable oil and chopped shallots, sauté until translucent, add the rice and one cup of the lobster stock and vanilla bean. Simmer on medium to medium high heat until the risotto starts to absorb the stock, then add more stock and repeat this process until the risotto is tender but not mushy. Add lobster, spices and sage (and vanilla extract if using that) and cook for about 2 minutes more stirring constantly, salt and pepper to taste.

Yum!

Next trip to the Grand Strand, be sure to try Pawleys Plantation and say hi to Ernest. It'll be the high point of your vacation— guaranteed!

Fall, Family Fun And Fossil Hunting: Myrtle Beach Campground & The Smithsonian Serve Up Unique Family Outings

It's called the “secret season” in Myrtle Beach, S.C. It's Fall, a time when the sun is warm, the air temperature hovers around 80, and the 70s temperatures of the ocean water are still inviting. It's also a time when prices drop and all the fun of summer can be had for so much less.

But aren't the big amusement parks and the roadside water parks closed down, you ask? What will I do with the kids? Some stuff is closed, but if you know where to look, you'll find that the family fun that's around in the Fall is just as engaging and way more affordable. So, put the family in the car and head for Myrtle Beach – you won't be disappointed.

In the heart of the 60-mile long Grand Strand is the oceanfront Ocean Lakes Family Campground. This place is a major hotspot during Fall — family central and full of free activities that both you and the kids will love. And, if you think a campground is not your cup of tea, think again. Because this place covers all the bases.

If your family is filled with rugged outdoor types, grab a campsite and pitch a tent near the ocean or pop up the top of your camper. Got an RV? Pull it in. You say your family wouldn't dream of a vacation without all the creature comforts and a tad of luxury? Rent a house right within the campground.

What to do once you're there? Time to plan — because you'll want to mark your calendar for the 5th Annual Ocean Lakes All Star Golf Car Show, Halloween Weekends and the South Carolina Fossil Fair.

The Golf Car Show takes place October 24th and is open to anybody staying at the campground. This is a day filled with free activities, fun and food. Got a golf car? Dress it up and enter it in a contest for prizes – and anyone who participates in the show gets discounts on parts and accessories from Ocean Lakes Golf Cars. Now that's value added.

The 26th Annual South Carolina Fossil Fair is set for October 31st from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. This free event is open to the public. So, even if you're just in town for the day, come on by. This is a big deal. How big? SMITHSONIAN BIG.

The South Carolina Fossil Association and experts from the Smithsonian Institute's National Museum of Natural History will be there. Bring your fossils and they'll tell you exactly what they are. Or check out all the fossil collections on display. What kid won't love looking at shark teeth, whale bones, and other cool fossil stuff?

Then it's time to tap into your inner Indiana Jones. Team the family up with Smithsonian experts to explore for shark teeth or put together a dinosaur skeleton. There's even a mock dig site where the guys from Smithsonian will show you the right way to recover fossils.

Into Halloween? There's no better place to head than Ocean Lakes. This place is so into Halloween that it celebrates it twice! Halloween Weekend number one is Oct. 23 - 25, 2009 and it's a chance for golf car owners to enter the “cars in costume parade”, followed by an evening Halloween party.

Halloween Weekend number two is Oct. 30 - Nov. 1, and Ocean Lakes pulls out all the stops with a magic show, great pumpkin search, pumpkin carving contest, Trick o’ Treating, a mystery dinner and costume contests for you and the family pet.

All these free activities, plus off-season rates. This place has worked hard to earn titles like National RV Park of the Year by delivering value. It's affordable, fun and all about family. And, once you're inside, you'll be amazed by how much there is to do for free.

To make reservations call 1-800-722-1451 for campsites, and for rental sites call 1-800-845-2229. You can even stay connected to the fun by following them on Facebook or Twitter.