Confessions of a Serial Cook Pumpkin Pie for the Culinarily Challenged

CONFESSIONS OF A SERIAL COOK: MY FAMOUS PUMPKIN PIE

Well, here I am again, letting you know what a bad cook I am. Chances are I’ll never get married at this rate. I can only hope that a potential love interest would look over my lack of prowess in the kitchen in favor of my other positive attributes, such as technology ability and Google app creation talents, or the fact that I can whip up an e-book in one afternoon! That being said, it’s still good to know a few fast and furious recipes to whip up, in the event I decide to make people at least “live the fantasy” that I can actually cook something. So here goes, my secret to delicious pumpkin pie. And the rub is: I cheat on this one too. I just read the ingredients off the back of the can of Libby’s pumpkin, and then add my secret touches! So, get a pen and paper handy or your mobile tablet and take notes, cause here goes.

MY FAMOUS PUMPKIN PIE

First, the ingredients:

• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 3/4 c. granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 can (15 oz.) of Libby’s 100% pure pumpkin
• 1 can (12 oz.) Carnation evaporated milk
• 1 deep dish pie shell
• whipped cream (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Mix ginger, salt, sugar, and cloves in a mixing bowl. On the side, mix the eggs together in a separate bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar mixture. Stir in evaporated milk gradually. Optionally, if you are feeling really daring, you can put a pinch of pumpkin spice into the mix as well, after you have combined the other ingredients.

Bake in a preheated oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. Then reduce the temperature and bake for another 45 minutes at 350 degrees F. Watch it! This is where I usually burn it! It is important that you only bake the first few minutes at 425 degrees. Then an added trick my aunt taught me is to take Reynolds’ Wrap (aluminum foil) and cut small strips to cover up the pie crust to avoid burning. You want the crust to bake in that first 15 minutes, but if you leave it exposed to the heat the rest of the baking time, it could burn it. So, cover the entire rim of the pie crust, all along the edges with aluminum foil, then return the pie to the oven for the remaining 45 minutes.

ALTERNATE WAY FOR EXTREMELY LAZY COOKS:

(I use this method often)…

If you do not want to make an “almost from scratch Libby’s pie,” then just buy pumpkin pie MIX, instead of the standard pumpkin only, and then all you’ll have to add is the eggs and the milk! I learned this shortcut a long time ago. Then, when everyone walks by to check out my progress, I put in all these spices, like pumpkin spice, cloves, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. I have experimented with different ways to add spice to the pies, and it taste different every time, but no one has complained yet.

Either way, you can be the life of the Thanksgiving dinner when you show them your “homemade pumpkin pies.” Sure, we know Libby thought of it first, but it will be our little secret!

Have fun and remember not all of us are blessed with a chef’s natural hand at baking!

But all that matters is the end result!

Have fun!

Hannah Jameson is a professional blogger that shares advice on healthy cooking. She writes for RecipeChart.com, where you can find all kinds of healthy and delicious recipes.