Thanksgiving Eve Pumpkin Pie

Ever since I can remember, the night before Thanksgiving at my mother’s house has been an important gathering.  Maybe even more so than the actual dinner the next day.  We baked the usual pumpkin, apple, mincemeat, and blackberry pies along with a few additions.  The best part has always been giving aprons and little rolling pins to the little ones, so that they can help.  One person is usually mixing the crust, another making fillings, and all of the other cousins, nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles, and an occasional “orphan” all line up along the counter to join in the creations.  

Since I have left home, I have carried on my mother’s traditions of welcoming everyone, cooking a great meal, and baking pies on Thanksgiving Eve.  Even when there is just a small gathering in my future, I still take the time to make Thanksgiving pies, honoring my mother’s traditions.

Here is my favorite, a pumpkin pie recipe from some spill stained cookbook I do not remember the name of, but remember it was too big to hold, so I had to memorize what spices to get from the cupboard.

Thanksgiving Eve Pumpkin Pie

 

*Note: This pie seems to taste better when you cook down the pumpkins from your Halloween jack-o-lanterns, freeze the pumpkin, and use it in the recipe below.  :o)  (Especially pumpkins found in my mother’s pumpkin patch!)

 Ingredients

    3/4 cup granulated sugar
    1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    1 teaspoon ground ginger
    1 teaspoon ground allspice
    1 teaspoon ground cloves
    2 large eggs
    2 Cups packed pumpkin puree
    1 12 ounce can of evaporated milk

Directions
Place all ingredients in a blender, starting with milk, eggs and pumpkin on the bottom and remaining ingredients on top.  Blend thoroughly, stopping to scrape sides, if necessary to ensure even distribution of all ingredients.

Pour into pie shell.

Bake in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.