Pumpkin Pie

With the abundance of pumpkin puree I've had on hands lately I knew it was time for me to make my all time favorite, pumpkin pie! This is a Thanksgiving Day mandatory for me, but one I've never actually fixed my self. I pulled this recipe from the first cook book I was given just after I got married, Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. It was very easy recipe to follow, but I may try beating this on low with my mixer the next time around so that I can get the eggs to mix up better. But the final product was a wonderfully smooth pie with a great balance of sweet and spice. In fact my wife who isn't a huge fan of pumpkin pie enjoyed her fair share, so you can't go wrong with this recipe.

Butter Pie Crust

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flout

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, chilled and diced

1/4 cup ice water

1. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water, a tablespoon at a time, until mixture forms a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

2. Roll dough out to fit a 9 inch pie plate. Place crust in pie plate. Press the dough evenly into the bottom and sides of the pie plate.

Pumpkin Pie Filling

1-15 ounce can pumpkin puree

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

(Rather than measuring individual spices, you can use 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice instead)

2 slightly beaten eggs

3/4 cup half-and-half, light cream, or milk

1. Prepare and roll out Pastry for a single-Crust Pie. Line a 9-inch pie plate with the pastry; crimp edge as desired.

2. For filling, in a medium bowl combine pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Add eggs; beat lightly with a fork just until combined. Gradually add half-and-half; stir until combined.

3. Place the pastry-lined pie plate on the oven rack. Carefully pour filling into the pastry shell.

4. To prevent over browning, cover edge of the pie with foil or use a pie crust shield. Bake in a 375ºF oven for 25 minutes more until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate with in 2 hours.