I am giving you my coveted fresh pumpkin pie recipe. This pie is the most requested pumpkin pie and if I were you, I would make two at a time. I just don't make this pie at Thanksgiving...
I make it year-round and store it in the refrigerator, so in the summer it is still a cool, refreshing dessert. Topped with my flavored whipped cream - it's heaven on a fork.
Treat your family with this pie, and maybe they'll treat you by cleaning the house (I know, but I tried). More homemade pie recipes at the end of the page.
your favorite pie crust, recipe below 1-1/2 cups homemade pumpkin pie filling, see below 1-1/2 cups evaporated milk 1 cup brown sugar, packed 1/2 tsp salt 1 TBS cinnamon 1 TBS pure vanilla extract 1/2 tsp ginger 1/2 tsp nutmeg 3 eggs
PREHEAT oven to 425 degrees.
Meanwhile, make your pie crust (recipe below) and place in the pie plate. Mix 1-1/2 cups fresh pumpkin with remaining ingredients. Pour into the prepared pie shell. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees, then reduce heat to 350 degrees.
Bake another 45 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean. There is nothing that can beat this fresh pumpkin pie recipe.
FILLING RECIPE
Use small to medium size pumpkins. Clean and slice meat from the rind. Cut pumpkin into squares and bake in a covered (or larger) dish. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until pumpkin is very tender. Remove and put immediately into a blender and make puree.
My homemade pie crust recipe can be used for any pie, quiche, pasty and anything else you can think of...
For a no-bake pie (such as my favorite, fresh strawberry pie), bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes. For a pie which isn't as sweet, I would also recommend adding 1 tablespoon of sugar to the flour.
MY PERFECT HOMEMADE PIE CRUST
1/4 cup vegetable shortening 1/4 cup butter, softened 1-1/2 cups flour 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup ice cold water
Mix shortening, flour, and salt together with a fork or a pastry blender until very crumbly. Add as much water as needed to hold together, and mix lightly with a fork.
Roll gently on a floured pastry cloth to about an inch larger than pie plate. Fold carefully in half, lift to pie plate, and unfold. Press into pan.
For a single-crust pie, trim with a small knife to about 1/2 inch beyond rim. Fold up, and pinch so edge of pie is raised from rim.
For a two-crust pie, trim bottom crust to edge of rim, fill, and top with crust about 1/2 inch larger than rim. Tuck top crust under bottom along rim. Seal with floured fork.
TIPS TO Make PERFECT Chocolate Covered Strawberries
SECRET #1 There are many way to prepare these strawberries, but I am going to give you my easy methods. When you are melting the chocolate over a double boiler, don't let the water touch the bottom of your upper pan. Heat until only 1/2 of the chocolate is melted, then remove from heat and stir gently until it is all melted.
The chocolate should actually be cool or tepid to the touch. If it's hot, chances are it will seize up and thicken. If it does that, no amount of heating or stirring will fix it.
If you don't have a double-boiler, use a saucepan - bring the water to a boil, and then use a stainless steel bowl to rest in the saucepan to melt the chocolate.
SECRET #2 Strawberries are grown with many pesticides, so rinse the strawberries first with a veggie wash, and let them drain on paper towels until they were thoroughly dry so the chocolate would adhere properly. Any moisture would have interfered with the chocolate adhering.
SECRET #3 Spike the strawberries! Fill a syringe with a sweet white dessert wine, and slowly inject the wine into the strawberries from near the stem (after you've done the dipping in chocolate.) You want to inject enough wine to saturate the berries, but watch not to add too much otherwise they end up becoming runny. These are always a hit when I bring them to dinner parties.
SECRET #4 Pierce the strawberries on the stem side with a toothpick. Holding the strawberry by the toothpick, dip into the chocolate mixture. Turn the strawberries upside down and insert the toothpick into Styrofoam for the chocolate to cool.
A delicious twist on my favorite red velvet cake recipe. Yum.
HOMEMADE RED VELVET CHEESECAKE RECIPE
Ingredients
CRUST: 1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 1/4 cup butter, melted 1-1/2 TBS white sugar shaved chocolate bar
CHEESECAKE: 3 (8oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened 1-1/2 cups white sugar 4 eggs, beaten 3 TBS cocoa, unsweetened 1 cup sour cream 1/2 cup buttermilk* 1 TBS pure vanilla extract 1 tsp white vinegar 2 (1oz) bottles of red food coloring
TOPPING: 3 oz cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup butter, softened 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted 2 tsp pure vanilla extract shaved chocolate bar, for garnish
Directions
PREHEAT oven to 325 degrees. The cake is baked with a water bath to prevent cracking. Wrap a large pan with foil (big enough for the spring form pan to fit in).
Mix the graham crackers and sugar together and add the melted butter. Mix with a fork and press into a 9 inch spring form pan. Sprinkle the bottom of the crust with chocolate shavings from a candy bar.
Beat 3 packages of cream cheese with 1-1/2 cups white sugar until fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into the prepared spring form pan and place in the center of the foil covered pan. Fill with water.
Bake for 10 minutes and lower oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake for 70-80 minutes. The cheesecake is done when the center is firm. Cool completely on a wire rack.
TOPPING: Beat the cream cheese with the butter until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and mix until smooth and creamy. Spread evenly over the top of the cooled cheesecake. Garnish with the shaved chocolate bar.
*Buttermilk: Place 1-1/2 tsp vinegar or lemon juice in 1/2 measuring cup and fill remainder with milk. Wait 15 minutes, stir, and it's ready for this recipe.