Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Lots of people I know make pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving but I decided a few years ago that I would make it my tradition to bake a homemade pumpkin pie for Halloween, or at least near Halloween. I think this is the 4th year I have made one and it always turns out so yummy. My favorite pie is probably pecan, but after I tasted the delicious pumpkin pie I made last night, it is definitely a close second! I follow a very simple and quick recipe, and I thought I would share it with you - because I like to share and all.

Recipe for So Easy Pumpkin Pie (found on the sticker on the bottom of my pie pumpkin bought from Walmart). You will need 1 small pumpkin, also known as a pie pumpkin. The normal carving pumpkins are too big and the meat inside is tough I guess. I cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out all the seeds and strings. Make sure you get as many of those stringy things out as you can. I then cut the halves into half again to get four pieces. I place the four pieces into a glass dish, fill with a bunch of water, about a cup, and cover. I put it in the microwave for about 15 minutes or until the pumpkin is nice and soft. If you prefer the longer way and want to use your oven the recipe says to put the 2 halves on a foil lined baking sheet, covered with foil and baked at 350 for an hour and a half. Uh I don't want to waste that much time, nor heat up my house, the microwave is so much faster!

After the pieces are all soft, scoop out the orange insides. You need to end up with about 1 1/3 cups. I usually get a little more - I just use whatever I get. Once scooped if you end up with a bunch of water in it you can drain it some. I normally scoop my insides as soon as I get it out of the microwave and they are very hot so be careful and don't burn yourself. Mash the insides with a fork until it is nice and looks like the texture of baby food. I never need to use anything but a fork to get it good and mushy, probably because I mush it while it is hot. Put your mashed pumpkin in a bowl and add the following ingredients:

1 can of sweet condensed milk (which is also 1 1/3 c)
1 egg
1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 c hot water

The consistency will be really runny and that is what you want to see. Hopefully you also had your pie shells thawing, the kind I buy need to thaw for about 15 minutes. Pour the mixture into the pie shell and bake. Sometimes I end up with enough filling for two pies, depending on the size of my pie pumpkin.

Bake at 350 for about an hour (55-65 minutes). When it is finished the center will still move slightly. Cool and enjoy! If you had leftover mashed pumpkin, it will last for about 5 days in the refrigerator.

How was our pie? I think it was the best I have ever made! Summer even loved it and wanted two pieces. I figure this pie is mostly healthy, the sugar comes from the sweetened condensed milk and you can buy the lesser sugar one if you prefer. Here are a few pictures of Summer enjoying her first piece of pie of the season!


It was really good and I just may have to make another one because I have a feeling this one isn't going too last long!