Official Pumpkin Pie Recipe...

Okay, to go with said Apple Pie, here is the official pumpkin pie recipe. What's so awesome about this is that there's no filling left over. In the past, when I've made pie, there's been left over filling. Yep, that's okay if you want to cook it separate, but I like no left overs.

This recipe comes from a book called Great American Favorite Brand Name Cookbook Collector's Edition. I got this book when I was at E&Y. Someone came in, selling them. I think at the time, they were $5.

So, here's the recipe. Even though the recipe calls for canned pumpkin, I used my home-made pumpkin. Remember, I had 6 pie pumpkins that I cut up and boiled like potatoes. Then, added the pumpkin pie spice (as much as thought smelled good) then smashed it, bagged it, and froze it. Well, it's time has come.

Currently, there are 2 living in my oven at 350 degrees, getting their sun tans.

Traditional Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients
1 (9-inch) unbaked pastry sheet
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin (about 2 cups)
1 (14-ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
2 eggs
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
(I also added 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice. Yes, I agree the 3 spices above probably make pumpkin pie spice, but I figured it would make the pie taste EVEN better. Also, I ended up having to run to the grocery store to get more milk as mine just looked too questionable. So, with much hemming and hawing, Rob took me over to the store. Looked much better. You'll know if you've got the right stuff by: 1. the name on the label and 2. it resembles white caramel because it's so thick.)

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In large mixer bowl, combine all ingredients except pastry shell; mix well. Pour into prepared pastry shell. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted 1 inch from edge comes out clean. Cool.

Also, with my stove, it's always better to cook 1 pie at a time. But, I had 4 pies to make tonight, 2 pumpkin and 2 apple. The apple are done. But, with the pies, I put one pie on each oven rack. With the uneven cooking, here's how I put the pies in. After the first 15 minutes, I pulled the pies out, rotated them and switched the pies on the shelves. After 20 minutes at 350, I did the rotation and switches again. Now, they are cooking for the last 15-20 minutes in the original way they were placed in the oven.

Also, remember, because this is a custard pie, it may look wet when you take it out. That's okay, as long as the knife comes out clean. Also, with the custard pie, it will shrink after baking (the pie filling) as the liquid is cooked away. So, when you put the pie filling in, go ahead and fill it all the way as shrinking will help.

Okay, I've had my Martha Stewart moment!

Love to all,
Cathy
8^ )