Pumpkin pie!!

An American Thanksgiving favourite, pumpkin pie is a delectable treat. When my kids were young, instead of cutting up a pumpkin for a jack o lantern, we drew a face on it with markers and saved it until the weekend before Thanksgiving. We carved it up into chunks and made pumpkin puree and and from there made delectable, delicious, mouth-watering fresh pumpkin pie! Try it! You'll like it!

Pumpkin custard pie
Ingredients
1 c granulated sugar (make it sugar free with 3/4 cup Splenda instead!)
½ tsp salt
3 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice*
1 ½ cups freshly cooked and drained pumpkin puree**
1 ⅔ cups evaporated milk (unsweetened)
2 eggs, beaten

Prepare
Heat oven to 425F (220C)

Combine dry ingredients then add pumpkin, milk and beaten eggs. Mix until smooth. Pour into chilled unbaked pie shell.

Bake for 15 mins at 425F (220C), then reduce heat to 350F (180C) and bake another 45 mins. Insert steel knife in centre to ensure it is done before removing from oven. Chill until set (4 hours or more) then serve with whipped cream on top.

* If you don’t live in the US and you can’t buy pumpkin pie spice, make your own:

Spice                     1 pie   2 pies   3 pies   4 pies   6 pies
tsp cinnamon          1 ½        3       4 ½       6         9
tsp ground ginger    ½           1        1 ½      2         3
tsp ground nutmeg  ½           1        1 ½      2         3
tsp allspice             ½           1        1 ½      2         3
tsp ground cloves    ½           1        1 ½      2         3

** To make pumpkin puree:
Cut a fresh pumpkin into chunks about the size of the palm of your hand.
Remove strings and seeds.
Boil pumpkin until a fork can easily pierce both the pumpkin and its skin.
Cool quickly under cold water. Remove each pumpkin piece and scoop pumpkin from shell with knife.
Puree pumpkin in a blender or food processor.
Put in bowl, cover, and allow to rest in refrigerator for 24-48 hours.
Pour accumulated liquid off top of pumpkin puree.
Pumpkin is ready to use.