Classic Homemade Pumpkin Pie

Happy (belated) Halloween everyone!  I wanted to make a pumpkin pie as a celebration for my son's first Halloween this past week.  He was dressed up as a toothless vampire, which was totally adorable by the way.  This recipe is inspired from memory from my Mom and Grandma and from various other recipes, such as this one on All Recipes. This is a truly homemade pie though and perfect for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, holiday dinners, and well, just because.

Ingredients:

Pie Crust
1 1/4 Cups (Organic) All-Purpose Flour (plus extra for floured surface/rolling out dough)
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
1/2 tsp. Sugar
1/2 Cup (1 stick, 8 Tbsp) Unsalted Butter, Cold
4-6 Tbsp. Cold Water

Pie Filling
(some of the ingredients shown on the right)

2 Cups Fresh Pumpkin Puree or 1-15 ounce Can
1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar
1/3 Cup White Sugar or Agave Nectar (as sugar substitute)
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
2 Eggs (or Egg Whites/Substitute for lower cholesterol/calories)
2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
1/4 tsp. Ground Cloves
1 tsp. Ginger
1/4 tsp. Allspice
1 1/2 Cups Evaporated Milk (Fat-Free)

(Note: you can substitute 4 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice--sold in stores--instead of all the spices separated out if you desire).

Directions:

Pie Crust
1.  Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a small bowl or food processor.
2.  Using a food processor or blender, combine flour mixture and half the butter.  Mix for just 30 seconds.  Add second half of butter and mix for another 30 seconds.
3.  Add 3-4 Tbsp. Ice water, just enough so it's not too crumbly.
4.  On floured surface (or right there in the bowl--that's what I did), put dough into small disk.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 min to 1 hour.

5.  Once dough is chilled, remove from refrigerator and place onto floured surface.  Roll out with floured rolling pin to roughly a 12" circle, about 1/8" thick.  Make sure dough is not sticking to surface (add more flour underneath, if it is).  You can instead put the dough between two pieces of wax/parchment paper (sprinkle flour on it as well) and roll it out that way.  Much easier and cleaner (that's what I did--see photo).
6.  Place dough on top of 9" pie dish or tin.  Remove excess dough hanging over pan, or fold under itself.  Make indentations on the crust if you desire, with your finger or fork.  Next step is for the filling, below.

Pie

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  To get your pumpkin puree, take a small-medium sized sugar pumpkin and cut in half (top and bottom).  This is by far the hardest part of the whole recipe, because these suckers are firm--if you get your pumpkin in half--way to go.  (I stick a knife in, wiggle/saw it for a bit, then pull it out and re-stick a few inches away until I was able to pull it apart).  Scrape out pulp and seeds (keep your seeds to bake Pumpkin Seeds).  Place cut side down on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes (until skin is dimpling and pumpkin is soft).

2.  Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees.
3.  In your kitchenaid, or other blender, mix together the brown and white (or agave nectar) sugars, salt, and pumpkin spices.  Add in the eggs, one at a time.
4.  Slowly mix in the pumpkin puree and milk.  Make sure thoroughly combined, about 2-3 minutes.

5.  Pour pie filling into pie crust (a trick to prevent spills is to pull the rack of the oven out a bit and set the pie crust on it...then pour the filling in).  Bake at 425 for 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes, reduce heat to 350 and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
6.  Cool for 1-2 hours.

Top with whipped cream (optional) and enjoy!

Granola Goodness

Yum, homemade granola.  This is a wonderfully healthy snack to eat by the handful for a quick pick-me-up or as breakfast cereal with milk.  You can also sprinkle some over yogurt for a tasty snack parfait (I love Greek yogurt).
This recipe uses a wide variety of ingredients full of healthy fats and nutrients..  The main ingredient, rolled oats provide you with healthy fiber and contribute to reducing your cholesterol and improving your heart health, as well as helping to maintain your blood sugar.  By adding in the walnuts and flaxseed, you also get a brain-boosting amount of DHA and EPA, the omega-3 fatty acids.  Almonds are great at reducing your cholesterol.  Basically all nuts are great for your diet, waistline, and your heart.  The optional fruit add-ins contribute some healthy sweetness, and a number of vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants.


Ingredients:

• 5 Cups Rolled Oats
• 1 Cup Sliced Almonds
• 1 Cup Chopped Walnuts
• 1 Cup Chopped Pecans
• 1 Cup Sunflower Seeds
• 1/2 Cup Pumpkin Seeds
• 1/2 Cup Flaxseed
• 1 Cup Vegetable Oil
• 1/3 Cup Honey
• 1/3 Cup Maple Syrup
• 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar, Packed
• 2 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1 tsp. Sea Salt

Optional Ingredients:

• 3/4 Cup Raisins
• 3/4 Cup Dried Cherries
• 3/4 Cup Dried Blueberries
• 3/4 Cup Dried Cranberries

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil (or parchment paper).
2.  In a large bowl, stir together the rolled oats, almonds, walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and flaxseed.
3.  In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the vegetable oil, honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and sea salt.  Bring to a light boil, then remove from heat.

4.  Pour hot oil/syrup mixture over the dry ingredients and stir well to combine.
5.  Spread half the oat mixture onto each baking sheet and spread evenly.  Bake for 20 minutes, stirring once half-way through the cooking time (tip: the darker you let the granola get, the crispier it will be, so you can alter the cooking time according to your preferences).
6.  Remove from oven and cool.  Optional: If you're adding in the fruit, sprinkle half of the fruit onto each baking sheet and stir to combine.  Spread the mixture back out on the baking sheet and allow to cool.
7.  Stir again once cooled to break up any large clumps.

Store in airtight containers in your pantry or in containers/freezer bags in your refrigerator to keep it fresher longer.

Enjoy!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Carving pumpkins or using fresh pumpkin has a GREAT benefit you might not always make use of: the Pumpkin Seeds!  Pumpkin seeds are so healthy and tasty.  They provide about 50% of your daily value of iron, magnesium, and phosphorus, as well as give you healthy protein, healthy fats, zinc, and vitamin K.

The seeds in my photos are from the tiny pumpkins I used in the Sweet Potato Chutney Over Chops with Stuffed Pumpkin recipe.  I'll also be making the bigger seeds from our regular size pumpkins once we carve those.


Ingredients:
Pumpkin seeds, cleaned of all pumpkin and dried.  Usually I use a strainer and a little manpower to get all the pumpkin off the seeds, then lay the seeds on paper towels to dry out overnight.

Seasoning(s) of your choice.  I prefer plain ol' Sea Salt, but you could use cinnamon/sugar, cajun spices, chilli powder, garlic powder, or whatever else you can come up with.

Directions:
1. Preheat Oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Spray some cooking spray on a baking sheet.  Spread the seeds on top of the baking sheet.  Spray again with cooking spray.  Sprinkle your seasoning of choice on top of the seeds.
3. Bake for 15-25 minutes (or longer if you didn't dry them out) or until lightly browned.

Enjoy!