Ok, I know you’re suppose to post pumpkin pie recipes BEFORE Thanksgiving, but I feel like breaking the rules and posting these now. Besides, I like this pumpkin pie so much I think it should be enjoyed throughout the fall and winter and not just at Thanksgiving.

The trick to this pumpkin pie is to use a fresh pumpkin instead of canned pumpkin puree. It’s really not as hard as it sounds. All you have to do is slice the pumpkin in half, take out the seeds and pulp and place it cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 F until the meat inside is tender and soft. Scrap out the meat and put it in a food processor or blender and blend until you have a smooth puree. That’s it. Now that you have your puree you can use it in any recipe that calls for canned pumpkin puree with the result being a much fresher pumpkin flavor.

So, here’s my pumpkin pie recipe…

Pumpkin Pie Made With FRESH Pumpkin

• 2 cups fresh pumpkin puree
• ¾ cup Unrefined sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla (I recently used maple extract instead because I didn’t have vanilla and that worked well too, although the vanilla is much better)
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 cup milk (or cream or a combination of milk and cream)
• 3 eggs
• 1 pie crust (if possible make your own – it tastes so much better and it’s not nearly as hard as it seems. If you have kids let them mix the butter in with the flour and roll it out – they will love it and you save yourself the hard work.  I’ve been using this recipe but without the sugar and we like it)

Mix it all together and pour it into the pie crust. Bake at about 350 degrees Fahrenheit until it is not really wiggly anymore. You want it to jiggle just a little though because it will solidify more once you take it out of the oven.

Eat it warm or cold, however you like. It’s great topped with a little whipping cream made from scratch by beating a bit of cream until it thickens (you can add a little sugar and or vanilla or maple syrup to the whipped cream to sweeten it if you desire).

ENJOY!

Rejoicing in the journey - Beth Stedman