November 17, 2016

Pumpkin Pie From Scratch, You Say?!

I suppose I will die never knowing what pumpkin pie tastes like when you have room for it.
Robert Breault, author

Today I am here to “talk turkey” about making a pumpkin pie from scratch, as promised in my October 20th post.  (You can read that post here).  Pumpkin pie is the dessert star of the Thanksgiving feast. It is also a favorite of my husband. A few years ago, on a whim, I prepared a Thanksgiving pumpkin pie from scratch. I have been baking my pumpkin pies from scratch ever since. Pumpkin pie from scratch, you say?! Now, before you click the exit button on your computer, shaking your head in disbelief, bear with me. Cooking a pumpkin is really quite easy! Honest!  And the end result is well worth it! Let me show you how!

My “pumpkin pie” pumpkin adorns my entryway table before being cooked.

The cute “BE THANKFUL” printable with a modern flair, (framed above),
came from creative bloggers Alice & Louis. Find their link, here.
You can find this printable, and several other Thanksgiving printables
by this talented duo, here.

Cooking a Pumpkin

Wash off the pumpkin and remove the stem.

Slice the pumpkin in half vertically. This may take a little muscle!  :o)

Remove seeds and fiber.
(My friend Suzanne recommended using this tool
used for making jack-o-lanterns.
Thanks Suzanne, it works great!)

Place pumpkin, in a baking dish with the cut side facing up.
Pour water, about 1/2 inch deep, into dish around pumpkin.

Cover (if no lid, use foil) and bake until tender/until fork pierces easily, about 1 hour.

Cool slightly.
Peel shell, or scoop pumpkin from shell.

Mash pumpkin until smooth and no lumps remain.

I usually store the pumpkin pie filling in the refrigerator,covering once cool,
and bake the pie the following day .

My Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Pumpkin Pie Filling from Scratch

Ingredients:

1 small cooking pumpkin (About 4 lbs.)

Water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Wash off the pumpkin and remove the stem.

Cut pumpkin into halves, vertically.

Remove the pumpkin’s seeds and fiber.

Place pumpkin, in a baking dish with the cut sides facing up.

Pour water, about 1/2 inch deep, into dish around pumpkin.

Cover (if no lid, use foil) and bake until tender/until fork pierces easily, about 1 hour.

Cool slightly.

Peel shell, or scoop pumpkin from shell.

Mash pumpkin until smooth and no lumps remain.

This makes about 4 cups of mashed cooked pumpkin.
(I usually have enough for two pumpkin pies.)

I usually store the pumpkin pie filling in the refrigerator, covering once cool,
and bake the pie the following day, .

Note: 1 pound pared fresh pumpkin yields about 1 cup mashed cooked pumpkin.

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

1+1/4-1+1/2 cooked pumpkin(
(Canned pumpkin can be used, if desired)

¾ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon or less salt

Scant 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 slightly beaten eggs

1+1/4-cup milk, (whole milk works best, but skim may be used)

1-6 oz can evaporated milk (2/3 cup)

1 -9 inch unbaked pie crust

Whipping cream

Directions:       

Combine pumpkin, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. (I use a hand disc blender.)

Blend in eggs, milk, and evaporated milk.

Pour into pastry shell, having edges crimped high due to amount of filling.
(Note-This recipe usually makes enough for one pie, plus one greased ramekin of baked pumpkin pie filling.)

Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.

Leaving the pie in the oven, turn the temperature down to 350 degree, and
continue baking for an additional 40-50 minutes.
Bake until knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean.

Cool.

Serve with whipping cream.

To Store-Refrigerate cooled homemade pumpkin pie,
(not allowing pumpkin pie to sit at room temperature for more than two hours),
covering pie loosely using aluminum foil, or plastic wrap.
Pumpkin pie will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

For more information on refrigerating pumpkin pie, click here.

My fun pumpkin pie-themed tea towel comes out of storage each Thanksgiving.  :o)

My Thanksgiving Menu 

To view my Thanksgiving menu, click here.

 More of My Thanksgiving Recipes

 Hot Apple Cider, click here.

 Cranberries from scratch, click here.

Morning Monkey Bread, click here.

 Peanut Clusters, click here.

Pumpkin Cake, click here.

Thanksgiving Eve/Christmas Eve Stew, click here.

Thanksgiving Morning/Christmas Morning Bacon and Eggs Casserole, click here.

 Thanksgiving Trash, click here

Turkey Cookies, click here.

Thanksgiving Movies and TV Shows to Enjoy

For a list of my favorite Thanksgiving movies and TV shows, click here.

Pumpkin Pie and the First Thanksgiving

My pilgrim couple presides over my kitchen table this Thanksgiving.

Just in case you were wondering, pumpkin pie was NOT served at the First Thanksgiving.  According to History.com, although the Pilgrims and Native Americans had a variety of pumpkins and squashes available to them, they would not have had butter, or flour, to make pie crusts, nor ovens to bake pie in. Also, there were no mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, or turkey dressing at that First Thanksgiving, and probably no turkey. :o(

For more interesting facts about The First Thanksgiving’s menu, click here and here.  

Enjoy These Free Thanksgiving Printables

What is your favorite dish at the Thanksgiving Table: the turkey, the turkey dressing,
the mashed potatoes, the pumpkin pie?  My own personal favorite is the turkey dressing*. YUM! In honor of this feast of Thanksgiving, I have made a fun printable to frame, or put on the fridge during the Thanksgiving festivities. Just copy, paste, and print.

( *Dressing is called stuffing in some parts of the U.S.  You can delve into the dressing versus stuffing debate here.)

I would love to hear about your favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal, and your Thanksgiving traditions!  Please, share them in the comments section below.

Prefer a humorous printable inspired by the classic Thanksgiving TV episode of
 WKRP in Cincinnati? Click here.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanks for reading,
Annette

Grab a cup of tea/coffee and take a few minutes for yourself, and view my past blogs and photos by clicking here, or go to imannette.net.

Normally, I plan (or at least, plan to try) to post every other Thursday.
Think of Thursday as I’m Annette days. :o)
For December, due to the fun and busyness of the season,  I plan to post only on December 15th.

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Wishing you and your family a Happy Harvest and Blessed Thanksgiving!

Being brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of Heaven, who had brought them over the vast and furious Ocean, and delivered them from many perils and miseries.
William Bradford
Referring to when The Pilgrims first reached America.
History of Plymouth Plantation, c. 1650