Good morning!
I am pleased to report that I have been blessed and my hand is healing quite quickly. I still have some seriously wonderful guest posters for you over the next week, and know you will welcome them with open arms, but today it is my turn to share with you some of the pies that we make around here for the holidays!
Thanksgiving simply is not Thanksgiving without my “Famous” pumpkin pie recipe that I top off with home-whipped spiced cream. I make a lot at a time so that we have a few to give away to others who we feel need some, and I also make them the night before then heat in the oven while we are all celebrating and devouring the beautiful turkey that my Handy Hubby smokes every year for this holiday.
My Famous (and may I say FABULOUS) Pumpkin Pie
Crust:
1 cup all purpose flour
2 cups freshly ground whole wheat flour (I use my Wondermill)
1/4 cup lard, coconut oil, or shortening
(each will create a different kind of crust)
1 tsp salt
up to 1 cup icy cold water
Mix dry ingredients, then cut in the lard, oil or shortening.
Using the paddle attachment of your mixer, or your hands,
add a small amount of water at a time until the crust forms a ball, and holds together easily.
Lard and coconut will make a flaky crust.
Shortening will make a chewier crust that holds together easily.
 Split it into two to three parts, depending on your mad rolling pin skills,
and form into flattened discs.
 I often make these ahead of time and freeze just like this until needed for the next project.
Roll each into a flat round that is thin. Lay your pie tin upside down on the pie crust and cut about 1″ around on the outside of the tin. This will give you enough to fill up the sides of the pie tin, and some to crimp for the edge. I always lay it in the pie tin then stretch gently to give me a little more room, and keep the pie crust nice and thin. Starting on the edge, roll under towards the middle of the pie plate, and pressing to seal until you have a roll around the entire edge of the pie plate. This is where I just pinch the dough around the top all around, or push one finger between two others to make the crust edging (as shown on the pie above). If you are very stretched for time you can also just press the edge down with a fork, just beware this method can burn in the oven if not watched carefully.
Once you have the crust in place, you combine the following ingredients in a bowl:
3 cups pumpkin
1 can evaporated milk
3 eggs
2-4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1-2 tsp maple flavoring extract
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup of dark brown sugar, or a combination of honey and molasses.
Blend really well, and pour into the pie crusts up to where the rolled edge ends (that you pressed and sealed. This recipe puffs a little, so be sure to not overfill the pie crusts.
Bake the first 15 minutes at 425* and then lower the temp on your oven to 350* and bake for an hour. When you can slide a butter knife into the middle of the pie and there is nothing on the knife when you pull it back out, the pie is done. Let sit and it will develop a beautiful glaze on top, and have a deep pumpkin color on the inside, with specks of the spices on top.
Not only a beautiful pie, but a tasty one as well!
The second pie that graces my table is my Harvest Comfort Pie in a Cinnamon Crust. Filled with apples, golden raisins, Â and cranberries, this luscious pie is delicious with a simple scoop of vanilla ice cream over a warm piece of the pie, just warm enough that it melts down the sides and mixes with the filling. Be sure to click the highlighted link to bop on over there and read that wonderful recipe!
I hope that not only will you try these pie recipes this year, but that you also find them wonderful enough to become traditions in your holiday line up as well!
Many Blessings to you and yours,
PS–that spiced Whipped cream I was telling you about is simply adding a tsp of apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice to your pint of heavy whipping cream when you froth it up. I also add about 1/4 cup white sugar for the pumpkin pie, but leave that out with the Harvest Comfort Pie because it is already so rich and full of sweet goodness. 🙂
This looks and sounds amazing! You’re making me hungry 🙂