Homemade Pumpkin Pie

Alright, so I know it's been about a week since I've updated (oops!) But I do have some recipes!

I have never been a fan of pumpkin pie, it's always made me gag, and grosses me out. However, my friend Jimmy suggested I make a pumpkin pie from real pumpkins - being that the only kind I had ever had was pumpkin from a can or store bought pie. I have never baked a pie before, and I have never gutted a pumpkin, so it was definitely an interesting experience. haha

I got the original recipe from allrecipes.com

What you'll need;

• 2 cups mashed, cooked pumpkin - I used one medium pie pumpkin
  
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  
• 1/4 cup honey
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the crust:

• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup cold water

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Halve pumpkin and scoop out seeds and stringy portions. Cut pumpkin into chunks. In saucepan over medium heat, in 1 inch of boiling water heat the pumpkin to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until tender. Drain, cool and remove the peel. To do this you will probably need a big strong guy, or a really super sharp knife! I had to ask my husband to cut it for me because I couldn't get through even with our large butcher knife!
   
3. Return pumpkin to the saucepan and mash with a potato masher. Drain well.
4. Prepare pie crusts by mixing together the flour and salt. Cut shortening into flour, add 1 tablespoon water to mixture at a time. Mix dough and repeat until dough is moist enough to hold together.
5. With lightly floured hands shape dough into a ball. On a lightly floured board roll dough out to 1/8 inch thickness. With a sharp knife, cut dough 1 1/2 inch larger than the upside down 8-9 inch pie pan. Gently roll the dough around the rolling pin and transfer it right side up on to the pie pan. Unroll, ease dough into the bottom of the pie pan.
6. In a large bowl with mixer speed on medium, beat pumpkin with evaporated milk, eggs, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Mix well. Pour into a prepared crust. Bake 40 minutes or until when a knife is inserted 1 inch from the edge comes out clean.

Now, when I did the crust, I am HORRIBLE with it. So I just put it in the bottom of the pan and squished it down with my fingers until it filled up the pan and seemed thin enough haha. It worked out well.

One medium (6"-8" )pumpkin makes about 2 pies.

It's soooo yummy! It was the first time I ever liked eating pumpkin pie. Now, being that I am not a fan of pumpkin pie and I don't eat it often, I can't tell you if it's gonna taste "just like grandma's pie!" but it was good and everyone who ate it seemed to like it!