Pumpkin Pie

 Talk about getting back to basics.  I will be the first to admit that there is nothing innovative or surprising about this recipe.  But it is one of my absolute favorite foods in the entire world (this is coming from a non-dessert person, so this is big).  Maybe someday I'll get adventurous and add something else to this recipe, but for now, I'll give you the basic pumpkin pie recipe the way that i do it.  Some foods are better left nice and traditional :)

First of all, I have found that the best pie crust is the uncooked, pre-rolled kind that looks like this.

You can find this in the grocery store where the tubes of biscuits, crescent rolls, and cinnamon buns are.


Ingredients (yields 1 pie):
-1 rolled pie crust
-1/2 cup sugar
-1/2 tsp salt
-2 tsp cinnamon
-1 tsp cloves
-1 tsp nutmeg
-2 eggs
-1 15 oz can of pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
-1 12 oz can of evaporated milk

1.  First, carefully unroll your pie crust across a 9-inch pie pan.  Preheat oven to 375F.

2.  Mix all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

3.  Add eggs.

4.  Add pumpkin and evaporated milk.  Mix well.

5.  Pour pumpkin mix into pie shell. 

6.  Take a fork and crimp the edges.  If any hangs over the end, you can cut it with a pizza cutter or just fold it over and have an uneven crust.  I always opt for uneven :)

7.  Bake for about 50 minutes or until inserted chopstick comes out clean.  I'd check at 40 minutes into baking just to make sure.
 
8.  Cool it.  If you have a porch or balcony, place it out there instead of your fridge, where the hot pie will spoil the other food.  But first, i'd cover the pie with a basket or large strainer (so heat can still rise out of it).   

When you're done, you get this lovely beast of fall.

Mmm.  My favorite rendition of pumpkin.  I have this with a mug of coffee with a little pumpkin flavored creamer in it.  Heaven.

Beautiful, isn't it?  And take a look at our little crimped edges...don't you love how they get so perfectly brown in the little fork-marks?

And if you are one of those people who needs to have whipped cream on the pie, you can use some fat free whipped topping.

Do a dollop.

The beauty of pumpkin pie.  Ahh.

And really, this is a much more cost-effect way to enjoy pumpkin pie.  It costs very little to buy the crust (usually comes in a pack of 2) and the pumpkin in a can.  I've seen people sell these pies (that usually don't taste as good as a fresh baked one like this) for up to $5!  That's nuts!  Make your own, it doesn't take that much time or talent.  Also, this way you can put in less sugar than the store-bought ones. 

Have a great week!  Tomorrow, I'll have a recipe for a super-healthy lunch option for the week leading up to Thanksgiving.  Don't eat unhealthy this week just because you know Thursday will be a caloric disaster! :)

(That was more for me than for you)

For a printable version of this recipe, please click here.