Moot Thoughts & Musings

Yesterday it was still raining. Raining for a week straight! And more getting around in the rain. I had lunch with Em and Vangie, who was in town for a wedding, driving all around the world to coordinate said function. When I got home after another soggy day of out and about, I was greeted with the happy news that my father-in-law was offered a new job, after being unemployed for over a year. Blessings!! To celebrate, I set about making a pumpkin pie. Besides it was cold and dreary outside, what better day to fill the kitchen with warmth and spices.

So, I thought I'd document how to make a pumpkin pie. From the pumpkin itself to the end product.

You can use an official pie pumpkin, they are slightly richer in texture, but honestly, I can't tell a whole lot of difference between a real pie pumpkin and a typical jack-o-lantern pumpkin, which will be bigger and cheaper, perhaps. Cut up the pumpkin into manageable pieces, piercing the piece with a fork. Bake in a low oven (around 200 degrees) for about two hours, covered with tin foil and a little water in the bottom of the pan. (I've also had success microwaving smaller amounts. Cover with plastic and check every ten minutes until it is tender.) After it has cooled, peel the skin. It may come off easily by just pulling it, but often I have to use a potato peeler to help.

Puree the pumpkin, which can be done easily with a food processor or a handheld blender (my favorite kitchen appliance). (In a pinch I've used a fork to mash it, but the texture isn't as smooth.) There's a lot of water in the pumpkin, so it's good to drain it a little. I always use a paper towel, because it soaks faster. Then you're ready to make the pie.

Recipe
2 eggs
2 cups of pureed pumpkin
1 can of evaporated milk (my Joy of Cooking said I could 3/4 c milk if I didn't have evap. milk, and it's just not the same, I'm sticking to the evap. milk)
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp gr. ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
(or if you're like me and are a spice fiend, you can throw spices in with abandon. I also use a little cardamom, too)

Mix ingredients. Pour into pie crust. Bake 35-45 min on 350 (until knife or toothpick comes out clean).

Pie crust is very straightforward. It's not as intimidating as people make it out to be. These are measurements for one crust. (So, like if you were making an apple pie and needed a top and bottom, double these measurements.)

1 c. flour, 1/3 c. shortening, enough COLD water to make it stick (start with about 1/4-1/3 c.)

Cut the shortening into the flour with a pastry cutter (or fork, if you don't have one) until it is crumbly. Add water and stir around with fork, until you can form it into a ball. It's important that your water is cold. I often have an ice cube sitting in some before I use it. Roll dough out on a floured surface. If you roll it out on wax paper then when it is rolled out, you can put your pie plate upside-down in the middle of the dough, slide your hand underneath the wax paper, and flip it. That way you don't have to wiggle around with your pastry. Trim and flute the edges. The key to perfect pie crust is minimum handling, so don't mess with it more than is absolutely necessary.

A decorative bonus. Find a leave from outside (unless you think you can freehand one or someother design yourself)--if you get a sturdy one, you can wash it with soapy water first. Cut out the leaf design on the extra pastry you trimmed off the pie. Bake seperately, for about 15 min on 350. After the pie is baked, lay your decoration on top. Voila!

Just call me Martha!!

(Actually the last idea, my mom saw on Martha years ago.)