My Momma's (Bea's) Pumpkin Pie

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One Thanksgiving memory is solidly etched in my mind . . .

It had sleeted the night before. I was waiting and watching from the backseat of our two-tone Pontiac as Momma stepped out on the back stoop carrying 2 of her prizewinning pumpkin pies . . . And then the unthinkable happened! Momma slipped on the icey concrete stoop and down she went, along with the freshly baked pumpkin pies! There was a dull thud and the sound of breaking glass as the pie plates shattered in a thousand pieces all around her! Thankfully she wasn't badly hurt but the pies . . . ! As a 5 year old, I already had an established love for pies, my favorite being pumpkin pie! Thankfully, that was the only Thanksgiving our table has not held Momma's Pumpkin Pie!

This recipe is quite simple, using milk rather than the evaporated milk most recipes call for. My sister Jill, sometimes uses eggnog in place of the milk for a delicious twist when she's baking Momma's recipe for her family. This year I'm using sweet baked yams instead of pumpkin.

What makes Momma's recipe so-ooo good is the perfect blending of warm aeromatic spices! Make sure you start with fresh spices! It will make all the difference between a bland, or a perfectly sweet-n-spicy pumpkin/yam pie!

I find the best way to purchase fresh spices for pumpkin pie is at Sprout's Farmer's Market or at WinCo. I always have a fresh supply of cinnamon on hand for my homemade mocha frappes, but this time of year, I purchase a fresh supply of ground ginger, mace and ground cloves in their bulk spice section.

TIP: By buying in bulk you can buy as little or as much as you want and save money!

TIP: Save your spice bottles. Yearly I dump out the old ground spices, replacing them with fresh new spices. Stick a bit of tape on the lid, and write the month and year.

BEA'S PUMPKIN PIE

This recipe makes 1 9-inch pie. Double recipe for making two pies.

Make My Easy Pie Crust

1 1/2 cups cooked pumpkin

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon mace

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons melted butter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2 eggs beaten

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 cup milk

• In a large bowl : Add pumpkin.
• In a small bowl: Whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, mace, cloves, and salt; removing all lumps.
• Add whisked flour/spice mixture to pumpkin and stir well to incorporate.
• Add melted butter; mix well.
• In a separate bowl: Beat eggs; stir in sugars, and milk.
• Stir egg mixture gently into the pumpkin.
• Pour pumpkin mixture into prepared pie shell (recipe for best and easiest pie crust).
• (This year I am freezing my pumpkin pies uncooked, and will bake them the day before Thanksgiving).
• Place a foil collar around the crust to prevent over-browning.
• Bake in a 425F. oven for 15 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 375F. and bake an additional 45-55 minutes, or until a sharp knife comes out clean when stuck in the center of pumpkin filling.
• Serve pumpkin pie with a dollop of homemade whipped cream.

Ingredients you'll need for making pumpkin pie filling.

Puréed, cooked pumpkin/yams.

In a large bowl: Stir flour, salt and spices into pumpkin.

In a separate bowl: Beat eggs.

Add sugars to eggs and stir well.

Add milk to egg mixture and mix well.

Pour egg mixture into pumpkin and . . .

Stir together gently.

Prepare pie crust.

Pour in filling and bake or freeze.

Momma's 88 and doesn't bake the pies anymore, but her recipe continues to be a cherished family favorite! This recipe is at least 55 years old (that's as far back as I can remember) and I know that it will continue to be passed down through the generations to the bakers in our family, both men and women!

All of us, Over at Julie's, wish you a blessed Thanksgiving filled with laughter, good eats and Momma's Pumpkin Pie!

 

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