Jack O’ Lantern or Pie?
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This time of year pumpkins are easy to find. It seems as we approach Halloween the stores are in pumpkin overload. After Halloween they almost disappear. Why is that? We still have Thanksgiving coming. All of us cooks still need pumpkins for pie. I am including you, dear reader, in the ‘all of us cooks’. Yes, I am. Even you, there, you can cook. You don’t need to do much other than be able to read and follow easy direction for yet another perfect pie.
Look around for the small pumpkins that are the size of a mini basketball or an over size softball. Those are usually sugar pumpkins and make a really nice pie. If you can’t find the smallish pumpkins don’t fret. The same pumpkins you buy for your jack o’ lantern will also make a nice pie. Pick a pumpkin that is rock solid without too much blemish to the skin.
Take the pumpkin(s) to your kitchen sink and wash them. With dish soap. Yes, soap it up and give it a good scrubbing, Rinse and dry. You have no idea whose hands have touched that pumpkin before you pick it out at the market. There is no telling where those have been, you know?
Take a moment to turn ont he oven and let it be warming up to 425 degrees while you do prep work. Use a cutting board to protect your work surface and choose a strong sharp knife to split the pumpkin in half.
Scoop out the pulp and seeds. Set it aside in a bowl for later. We have a very good use for it.
Using vegetable oil or olive oil give the pumpkin halves a good rub down. Place the two halves on a baking sheet cut side down. This helps trap the steam inside. The pumpkin meat won’t dry out or become crisp on the edges.
Into the oven they go. In less than an hour the pumpkin should be cooked. Use a skewer or a fork to pierce the skin. If you use a cloth to protect your hand you can give it a little touchy squeeze. If it is soft it is ready to come out.
Give the pumpkin time to cool a bit. Then using a spoon scoop out the tender meat. Make sure to get it all. Don’t be afrain to scrap the rind for all the yellowy orange goodness.
To this add: 1 can of evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed), 3/4 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp ground cloves and little grating of nutmeg. Mix well. If you don’t have all of those spices on hand you can substitute with 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice.
Pour the pumpkin pie mixture into two regular sized nine inch pie shells. It is best to place them on a cookie or baking sheet just in case something spills over.
Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes then turn down the heat to 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Allow the pies to cool before serving. Remember to cut teo slices in the pie before you try to lift out the first piece. Serve with fresh whipped cream.
Now what do we do with those pumpkin seeds and pulp? Let me show you!
Wash a few seeds and lay them out to dry on paper towels. They will need several days or more to completely dry out. Set these seeds aside for planting your own pumpkins next spring. Once dried place them in a small envelope and put them away in a dry place for winter storage.
You can also pick out the seeds and roast them for a tastey treat for your kids. We just aren’t a fan of roasted pumpkin seeds. My kids would rather have roasted pecans. Can’t say that I blame them.
I used the pulp and some buttermilk to make a healthy treat for my chickens.
Chop the pumpkin seeds or put them in the food processor or blender to break up the hard shells so that the inside meats are exposed. Add fresh buttermilk and mix well.
There is a natural chemical in the seeds that will paralyze any parasites in the intestinal tract. The buttermilk will aid in flushing them out. Pumpkin seeds and buttermilk are used as a healthy worming maintenance. If you chickens have a heavy worm load you will need to medicate them and get them clean and then you can use this technique as a maintenance to keep them worm free.
We chicken farmers need to know these things. I am not a fan of chemicals and meds used on animals used for food stocks.
If you read here yesterday you know I am announcing a new prize giveaway. Yayyy for you!
Fall is the perfect time for pie making with the apples and pumkpins that are being harvested. We all love pie! So … show me your pies you are making this fall. Any kind of pie. Not just apple or pumpkin. Pie also includes cobbers and buckles and torts and tarts. I would love to see what you delighting your friends and family with. We need a few test drives to prepare for Thanksgiving Day Pie!
Every comment on yesterdays Apple Pie post and this Pumpkin Pie post gives you a chance to win. There are other ways to win the give away. Send other readers here to leave a comment and their name AND your name goes into the drawing for yet another chance to win. Twitter about this give away and use the hash tag #Angie’s_HomeGrownGiveaway and @Angie_HomeGrown for yet another way to add your name to the drawing. Update your Facebook status with the giveaway for a fifth entry. Follow me on Networked blogs for a final chance to enter. The entry is open from 10/15 – 11/15. Seven chances to win!
Enter to win by:
1. Bake a pie and show me the photo on your blog or email.
2. Link to me on your blog about this giveaway using the Giveaway button.
3. Leave a comment on the Apple Pie post and the Pumpkin Pie post.
4. Send a friend to leave a comment and enter both of your names.
5. Twitter with hash tag #Angie’s_HomeGrownGiveaway and @Angie_HomeGrown linking to the giveaway.
6. Update your Facebook status with the giveaway link. (Remember to let me know when you update your FB. You have to come tell me.)
7. Follow me on Networked Blogs.
John Deere Autumnal T-shirt, matching ankle socks, pink John Deere gardening gloves, trashy romance novel, quilted handmade hot mat, one bar of handmade lavendar and vanilla soap. Disclaimer: All items have been collected by me or made by me for the purpose of this give away. No item is sponsored or donated by a third party.
Good luck every one!
Stacey made a beautiful pie!
Kudos Angie those are the best looking pumpkin pies I have ever seen. Full and no cracks, mine always have cracks in them. Great Pies!
Thank you! Cracking is often a sign of slightly overcooking. Reduce the cook time by 5 or 10 minutes and see if that helps.
OK, you’ve motivated me. I’ve still got the 3 pumpkins from my Mutant Pumpkin plant. I’ve never cared for pumpkin pie, but I’m bake all of them this weekend and cut out the meat. Then I’m going to take some of it and make a pie this weekend to see if either my tastes have changed, or I’ve just never had a pie as good as the ones you bake
I’m going to freeze the rest of the pumpkin meat from the others, roast some of the seeds, and give the chickens a little buttermilk/pumpkin seed potion. Whew. Lots of baking, roasting, and blendering in my future….. Thanks for the kick in the seat 
Penny, I know you will like this pie. You can adjust the spices to your own taste. Season and sugar the pumpkin first and taste it for the right amount that suits you. Then add the other ingredients for the pie. Some like no nutmeg and some like no cloves. You have to find the happy medium for yourself. You can do this in no time. While the pumpkin bakes wash the seeds and make the chicken treat. Clean up as needed. You’ll find work time is well under an hour.
We grew pumpkins for the first time this year and I have some that are perfect for this! I’ve never made my own pumpkin puree, but your directions look very easy to follow!
My kids LOVE toasted pumpkin seeds. Every year, they sort through the pulpy mass of innards picking out every single seed for me to bake. I don’t like pumpkin seeds, so even my frequent, “Ewww, how can you eat that?” doesn’t deter them.
Karen, this is so easy. Once you do it you’ll never go back to canned pumpkin or premade pies again.
I promise!
That pumpkin pie sounds delicious! I might just make that this year. Thanks.
FordMommy, I suggest a test series of pie for Halloween to perfect the pie for Thanksgiving.
Wow, didn’t even think about using an actual pumpkin to make pumpkin pie….always used Canned! I’m going to do this, bet it tastes WAY better!! Thanks MP!
Shelley, fresh pumpkin is so good and is not just for pie. You can roast it and mash it like potatoes and serve it with butter. You can make bread and soup with it too. All sorts of great recipes to use this vegetable which floods the markets this time of year.
Wow, it’s a lot easier than I thought it would be! I’ve made plenty of apple pies and pecan pies to name a few, but I have never tried to make a homemade pumpkin pie. I’ll have to try this recipe this year. My mouth is watering so much looking at your pumpkin pies that you baked – I can almost smell them! Thank you for such wonderfully easy directions!
I hear that a lot, TaLani. Most things aren’t as difficult as we may think. Once you make pies from pumpkin you’ll anticipate fall and it’s gifts of orangey goodness.
Angie are there certain pumpkins that are considered best for cooking/baking purposes or will type of pumpkin do?
There are several squashes that can be used the same as pumpkins but just as many that would not be very good at all. You can use the plain old field pumpkins, the more gourmet sugar pumpkins or pie pumpkins, even a cushaw pumpkin. I wouldn’t stray too far into the ’squash family’ for pie. Some veggies are best served with salt and pepper and a little butter.
Awesome post, Angie, I have a pie pumpkin sitting in my kitchen, I’m going to use your method and see how it comes out!
You can cook the pumpkin and only use enough for 1 pie and freeze the rest for holiday reserves, Ann.
Angie-
After I make the apple this weekend then pumpkin is up !
You make is look fun and easy. I bet Matt will get into this big time. Hugs to you and the family.
These are really fun, Bee. Scooping out the pulp takes a little muscle sometimes though. The rest is as easy as ‘pie’.
Okay! I’ve been to the store and bought a pie pumpkin and some buttermilk for the chickens! My 15 year old son helped me pick out the perfect pumpkin, so all I need now is a few hours to get baking!
Thank you Angie! I can’t wait to try this!
If you baked the pumpkin tonight and let them sit to cool until morning the juices will settle. Also – I have a recipe for awesome pumpkin pancakes.
Thanks for that tip! Will do, but it will have to wait until Sunday night because nobody will be home tomorrow to enjoy it.
So when are you posting your pumpkin pancake recipe?!?!
I’ll dig the recipe out for you, Stacey. I make them on the wood stove and the kids eat them almost faster than I can cook them.
You definately make me want to get to baking~Trouble over here is half the time I work hard thinking my kids will love it and they are less than impressed! If daddy was home on the other hand it would be gone lickety split! It looks really yummy……I will save it for a special occasion! I am trying REALLY hard to watch my calories! Looking at your pictures makes it even harder!!! I did today make a banana bread that is really low in calories and made with whole wheat flour and applesauce….YUMALICOUS! If your interested in that recipe let me know!!!!
Jamie, please do share the recipe. I am doing low carb and don’t eat these items. I make them for my kids and husband to enjoy. They shouldn’t cuffer because I choose not to eat them in the name of weight loss.
Yum-o!! The only thing I’m wondering is if the pumpkin is stringy in the pie, or if it’s creamy like the pumpkin from a can.
Pumpkin cooks like potatoes only more juicey. I have never seen a stringy pumpkin. Even a spaghetti squash mashes fine. Your pumpkin should be tender and soft and mushy when roasted.
Yummy! Thanks for the photos Angie! I am always in charge of bringing the pumpkin pies to Thankgiving and your post got me into the baking mood. (Frank and the kids thank you too!)
You all are very welcome, Karey!
Perfect timing! I have a bunch of pie pumpkins I grew myself. The only thing is they are all huge! I had no idea that Amish pie pumpkins got so big. I can’t wait to make my own pie using them though.
How wonderful. If you have room to store them for a few months they will keep in a cool dry place. If not you can roast them and freeze the pumpkin meat. There are so many recipes good for pumpkin. Look through the archives here for soups and other breads, muffins and cookies.
I made a pumpkin pie – and I love it! I only wanted one pie, so I ended up using a recipe from my trust rusty Betty Crocker cookbook. I’m glad you motivated me to finally try pumpkin pie again.
I am glad you discovered a reason to like pumpkins as food.
Yum! Yum! I’ve always wanted to make a homemade pumpkin pie…Thanks for the pics and detailed instructions.
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You are very welcome, Wendy. Enjoy your pie!
Angie – Can you dig in your recipe box for a pumpkin bar recipe? My husband buys the freshly made bars from our little grocery store but I’ve never attempted to try to make them for him myself. Thanks for the recipes and keep ‘em comin!!
Cathy, there will be more apple and pumpkin recipes this week. Check back.
Madison has been begging me to cut the second pie all day today! She isn’t a very good dinner eater, but today she is super excited about eating dinner so she can eat pumpkin pie for dessert! lol!
Jacy love pumpkin pie, too, Stacey. It is her most favorite. She waits so patiently for cutting time.
Those pies look heavenly! Pumpkin is my all time favorite. Nothing says fall like a pumpkin pie! And I’m going to try your recipe instead of using a can of the stuff!
Lynda, send me a photo of your pie. Come back and update us with your pie making.
The weather is starting to turn cooler here and the leaves are looking oh so pretty now. Sure makes me long for the smell of pumpkin pies in my house. I may try a “dry run” of your pumpkin pie recipe before Thanksgiving. Does it have to be a particular type of pumpkin or just the regular kind at Walmart?
TaLani, you can use any pumpkin to make pie. There may be a subtle difference most people can’t taste. I have used several varieties and they all are delicious.
This was such a hit the first time around, I bought more pumpkins (Yes! That was plural.) so we could go round two or even three making more pumpkin pies! This is by far so much better than making pies out of the canned pumpkin, which I have always done.
Stacey, you can roast and freeze the pumpkin meat to keep for Thanksgiving when pumpkins are getting scarce. We like pumpkin pie at Christmas, too.
My mouth is watering! Can’t wait to see if the pumpkin bar recipe appears…mmmm. Thanks Angie!
Angi, the pumpkin bar mini loaves are found here – http://bigredcouch.com/journal/?p=2019
Looks Delicious!
I have made this recipe 6 times now and my family loves it! It is truly the best pumpkin pie I have ever made or eaten and I’ve made a TON of pumpkin pies in my life time. I’m super excited about making these for Thanksgiving next week to share with my extended family. Thanks again Angie for sharing this recipe and teaching us how to make a pumpkin pie from scratch!