Recipe to Make Fresh Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin pie says everything we love about the holidays. For instance, it has a sweet smell, a heavenly taste, brings happiness to the soul, and puts a smile on the face. While closing my eyes, I take that first bite of pumpkin pie around the holidays and melt. It's kind of like those commercials you see where little bubbles pop up describing how you feel. In this case, the feeling is utterly delightful, marvelous, grand, and sublime. In short, pumpkin pie is the BEST! Due to the importance of a good recipe, I'm sharing a family pumpkin pie recipe that comes from a long line of excellent cooks, a one of a kind, you might say. It uses fresh pumpkin from your garden, eggs straight from the chicken, and thick cream you get from the cow.  As the ingredients are very important to the overall product, try to find organic or homegrown if you do not have or grow them yourself. With that, let's start making some pumpkin pie. Ingredients for Pumpkin Pie: This recipe is for 1 pie. Bake at 350° for 1 1/2 hours 2 cups baked pumpkin (for instruction on how to bake a pumpkin in your oven follow ME.)3 farm fresh eggs3/4 cup cream ( fresh or heavy whipping cream)2 Tablespoon flour1 cup white sugar1 cup brown sugar1/4 cloves1/4 tsp ginger1 tsp vanilla1 tsp cinnamon1/2 salt1/4 tsp nutmeg Ingredients for the Crust. This recipe is for a single crust (9-inch) 1 cup all-purpose or unbleached flour1/2 tsp salt1/3 cup plus 1 Tbls shortening2 to 3 Tbls cold water Directions: Turn on your oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Begin by mixing all of your ingredients in a kitchen aid or whatever method of mixing you prefer. I would suggest mixing after each element to ensure there are no clumps. Once you have all the ingredients combined and mixed, set your oven to 350°. Next, start making your crust. Mix the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in shortening, using a pastry blender or crisscrossing two knives, until particles are the size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 Tbls at a time, tossing with fork until all the flour is moist and pastry almost leaves the side of the bowl. Add 1 to 2 tsp more of water if needed.Now, gather your pastry into a ball and flatten it a little with your hands. Roll pastry on a lightly floured surface, using a floured rolling pin, into a circle 2 inches larger than the upside-down pie plate, 9 x 1 1/4 inches. Fold pastry in half or fourths and place in a pie plate. Unfold, pressing firmly against bottom and sides, being careful not to stretch pastry, which will cause it to shrink when baked. Pinch with fingers to make some edging and trim off any extra. Be sure to keep flour on your rolling pin, so the dough does not stick or tear.(For Two-Crust Pie, divide pastry in half and shape into two rounds.) If desired, wrap each round in plastic wrap and refrigerate about 30 minutes to firm up the shortening slightly, making the baked pastry flakier and letting the water absorb evenly throughout the dough. However, you will need to let the pastry soften slightly before rolling. Now stir your pumpkin pie mixture and pour it into the pie crust. Place pie in the oven and bake for an hour and a half or until a butter knife comes out pretty clean when placed in the center. Cool on a drying rack and serve or freeze and save for a later date. Be sure to cover the pie or pies with saran wrap before freezing. That's all there is to it, other than eating a huge slice with homemade whip cream ;). Well, I also want to wish you and your family a memorable Thanksgiving and hope you will ENJOY and save this family recipe. Happy Holidays, Friends! P.S. If you are looking for another great tutorial, please visit, How to make Butter, which also gives instructions on making your own homemade whip cream. Heather EarlesHeather is married to a retired Special Forces Officer, and they live on a farm with their four children. She is an established author, a stay-at-home mother, and an advocate for healthy living. She publishes a weekly blog and podcast (Herb ‘N Wisdom™) and writes for a local newspaper to aid and inspire others. Learn More About the Author