Pumpkin Pie

Really, I might as well resign myself to creating a blog about pumpkins. :) The Peanut Butter Boy does it, so why couldn’t I focus on one food??? I suppose peanut butter isn’t quite as seasonal as pumpkin… I’m already having a hard time finding them at the grocer. Plenty of cans left of course.

My pumpkin pie recipe is such a big hit every year that I’m going to share it even though it uses fresh ingredients. I will also adapt it for pantry cooking though I can’t guarantee it will be as yummy. I am actually being commissioned to make some of these for my boss’ Thanksgiving dinner! It’s worth the extra effort to cut and cook fresh pumpkin if you have the time. Extra cooked pumpkin freezes really well too, so I make pumpkin goodies year round. Read this if you need a refresher course on roasting pumpkin.

The “from scratch” recipe:

The BEST Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

graham cracker pie crust (pre-made, or use this recipe)
2 tbs melted butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups cooked and mashed (or pureed – though I like extra texture) pumpkin
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch each of cloves and nutmeg
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt (optional if you used salted butter)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Use large microwave safe mixing bowl. Melt butter.
Add eggs and mix well. Stir in remaining ingredients, mix will be soupy.
important tip: I cut down on bake time (which helps keep edges from becoming too cooked in the long run) by microwaving this mixture for a few minutes and then stirring well before I pour it into the crust.
Bake at 350 for about an hour, or until the middle is just firm.

This version of pumpkin pie is so dense and smooth. You are welcome to use white flour if it is all you have on hand, but whole wheat flour contributes a lot to the richness. I love using graham cracker crust because the butter and sugar caramelize on the bottom and it’s a wonderful surprise.

The “pantry friendly” recipe:

Ingredients:

graham cracker pie crust
2 tbs melted butter
2 eggs
15 oz. can pureed pumpkin
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch each of cloves and nutmeg
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup evaporated milk mixed with 1/2 cup water*
1/4 tsp salt (optional if you used salted butter)

*Refer to my post about shelf-stable milk for more info about the different kinds and their uses. If you use condensed milk instead of evaporated,you’ll want to skip the sugar.

Directions:

Same preparation as above. Easy-peasy! :)

Please tell me if you make this and if you tweak it any more – always looking for ways to improve! And stay tuned for *yes it’s possible* even more pumpkin recipes! I hope to get Pumpkin Seed Pesto and Pumpkin Butter rolled out before the end of the year! I’ve gone ahead and created a “pumpkin” label so you can see just how often I cook with it!