Pumpkin Pie

Fall also means Pumpkin Pie!!  One of my favs!!  When I say pumpkin pie I don't mean the stuff that comes from a can either.....not in this house!  I had a pie pumpkin come up from seed this year!  Wahoo!!

Nothing quite like the smell of pumpkin cooking in your house!

If you happen to have a pie pumpking here is what you to do get all the yummy stuff out of the middle to make an incredible pie....

**Preheat oven to 350 - cut pumpkin in half & remove stem & seeds - place skin side up on a cookie sheet - add about an inch of water to pan - cover with foil - bake for 45 minutes or until a fork pierces skin easily - allow to cool - scrape pumpkin out of shell - using an immersion blender (this works the best) - puree pumpkin - use fresh or freeze **I freeze in 2 cup incriments seeing this is how much my recipe calls for**

Now onto the pie!

Pumpkin Pie Filling

1 (14oz) Condensed Milk

2 large eggs

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Ginger

1/2 tsp Nutmeg

1/2 tsp Salt

2 C fresh pumpkin puree

** Preheat oven to 425 - whisk pumpkin, condensed milk, eggs, spices & salt until smooth. Pour into unbaked crust (recipe to follow) - - bake 15 minutes - - reduce temp to 350 - - (this is when I put on the foil protection onto the crust to prevent burning) - -  bake 35 to 40 minutes longer or until knife comes out clean

I know I did this backwards but now onto the crust!

Homemade Pie Crust

2 C unbleached flour - sifted

1 tsp salt

2/3 C butter shortening

5-7 Tbsp ice water

Sift flour into a mixing bowl with shortening - using a pastry cutter, cut shortening into flour - add salt & water ( I always start at 5 Tbsp ) - mix dough until formed - roll out on floured surface with floured rolling pin * when done transfer to 9" pie plate - gently pushing crust into pie plate - trim crust off as necessary - tuck ends of crust down & crimp

Here is the end result.....

Sorry for the indent in the middle :) I had to make sure it was done:)

Yummo!!