Pumpkin Pie Anyone?

Perhaps one of my most favorite Holiday icons would be a pumpkin. I really do think pumpkins are under-appreciated. We buy them cheap and chop them up, scoop their guts out, then carve em up for Halloween decorations. Then, after Thanksgiving, they seem to fade away against the press of Christmas chaos. I never see another pumpkin until the Fall of the following year. Sadly, pumpkins are predestined for disposal, preferably compost :) However! There are a few that are harvested for a higher calling...
I'm talking about pumpkin pie people. Yet another under-discovered Holiday treat. And forget about buying that can of Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin Puree. That stuff is disgusting, it tastes like baby food, yuck! Please show a pumpkin pie some respect and buy a "pie pumpkin." They are only about 70 cents per pound. Granted they require a little more work, but once you go real pumpkin, you'll never go back. Trust me... well I never went there in the first place ;)

So in honor of the faithful pumpkin that is always there for us as a reliable source to take out pre-Halloween frustrations, here is a good ol' PUMPKIN PIE RECIPE. I got it from my EatingWell magazine subscription. They also have a website that is chock full of awesome recipes for cooks of all types.  I cooked a couple pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving. I actually followed this pumpkin pie recipe to the letter (which is rare for me), except I brought a crust, and it turned out great!

Here are a few tips to help you along the way.

• "Pie Pumpkins" are the smaller pumpkins about 9 inches in diameter. It's better to use a pie pumpkin for pie baking purposes because the larger ones can be bitter and they are harder to handle.
• Use a serrated edged knife to cut the pumpkin into pieces. A smooth edged blade could slip and cause injury.
• Check out this website on how to cut and cook a fresh pumpkin. I prefer to bake it, even though it takes the longest. If you cook it long enough, you won't need to blend it. It should turn out soft enough to mash up with a whisk.
• Don't forget about the seeds! Rinse them and set them out to dry so you can bake them up with a lil salt or plant them for next year!

ENJOY!
~ B

Holiday Pumpkin Pie

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/holiday_pumpkin_pie.html
From EatingWell:  November/December 2010 This lighter pumpkin pie has the rich, subtle spices of the classic and a delicate, faintly sweet crust.
10 servings | Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 4 hours (including cooling time)

Ingredients

Crust

• 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (see Note)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 3-4 tablespoons ice water

Filling

• 1 15-ounce can unseasoned pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 14-ounce can low-fat sweetened condensed milk
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preparation

1. To prepare crust: Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, swirling the butter, until it’s light brown, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl to cool. Stir in oil. Slowly stir the butter-oil mixture into the dry ingredients with a fork until the dough is crumbly. Gradually stir in ice water, adding enough so the dough holds together and feels moist. Press the dough into a flattened disk.
2. Overlap 2 sheets of plastic wrap on a work surface, place the dough in the center and cover with 2 more overlapping sheets of plastic wrap. Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle. Remove the top sheets and invert the dough into a 9-inch pie pan. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Remove the remaining plastic wrap. Fold the dough under at the rim and crimp or flute the edge (see Tip).
3. Position rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 425°F.
4. To prepare filling & assemble pie: Whisk pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and salt in a medium bowl until well combined. Add condensed milk and eggs and whisk until smooth. Pour the filling into the prepared crust.
5. Bake the pie for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350° and bake until the filling is set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes more. (Cover the crust edges with foil if they are browning too quickly.) Let cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

Nutrition

Per serving : 292 Calories; 9 g Fat; 3 g Sat; 5 g Mono; 53 mg Cholesterol; 7 g Protein; 3 g Fiber; 174 mg Sodium; 482 mg Potassium
3 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 starch, 2 carbohydrate, 2 fat

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Prepare the crust (Step 1), wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

• Note: Whole-wheat pastry flour is milled from soft wheat. It contains less gluten-forming potential than regular whole-wheat flour and helps ensure a tender result in delicate baked goods while providing the nutritional benefits of whole grains. Both are available in large supermarkets or natural-foods stores (or online from bobsredmill.com or kingarthurflour.com). Store in an airtight container in the freezer.
• Tip: To crimp pie crust, use one hand to pinch/flute the edge of the crust between your thumb and side of your index finger.