pumpkin cream pie

Think of your love for pumpkin pie. Now make it lighter. Smoother. Creamier. Put it in a spiced cookie crust. Top it with whipped cream. And there you go.

Pumpkin Cream Pie
Adapted from Martha Stewart Living

Gingersnap crust
1 1/4 c gingersnaps, ground (I used graham crackers spiked with spices to great effect)
2 tbs sugar
pinch of salt
4 tbs butter, melted

Pumpkin filling
2 c milk

1/2 c sugar
1/4 c cornstarch
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves, ground
1/4 tsp salt
4 egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 c pumpkin (1 15-oz. can)

Make the crust:
Heat oven to 350 F. Combine cookies, sugar, and salt. Stir in melted butter. Press mixture into 9-in. pie pan. Bake 10-15 min, till crust is brown and toasty.

Make the filling:
Mix sugar, cornstarch, spices, and salt together in a bowl. Rub mixture with fingers to evenly distribute cornstarch. Very important for a smooth cream! Whisk in egg yolks and vanilla.

In a separate pot, bring milk to a boil. Temper yolk mixture with some of the hot milk, whisking constantly. Return mixture to the pot, whisking away over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Mixture will turn thick, like pudding.

Whisk in pumpkin, then strain through a fine mesh sieve for maximum smoothness. Pour filling into crust, cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate to set. Top with whipped cream when you're good and ready!

pumpkin time

Autumn is upon us, so, surprise, you're going to have to read about pumpkin. I love love love pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin scones, you name it. But since the blagosphere has already extolled pumpkin chocolate chip cookies to the point of saturation, I thought I a) should not have cookies for dinner. Again. And b) write about something savory instead.

Thus, here is Italian sausage pumpkin soup baked in a pumpkin. Well, since I lack a blender this was more like Italian sausage soup with pumpkin, but nevertheless! Consequently, this soup wasn't quite as thick as I would have liked - next time I would consider making a roux to counter the no blender issue. A handful of kale could be good, too.


Italian Sausage Soup (may contain pumpkin)

1 sugar pumpkin
half an onion, diced
1 leek, leafy green part discarded, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 potato, skin on, cubed
1 lb sausage, removed from casing

2 c stock (chicken, veggie, whatevs)
1 c water
1 1/2 c milk
1/2 c sour cream

some Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
pepper to taste

Heat oven to 350F. Cut a lid out of the pumpkin (I had no problem using a chef knife). Scoop out the seeds and stringy bits with your hand/spoon. Save the seeds for roasting! Replace the lid and pop pumpkin in the oven on a cookie sheet.

Brown sausage in a pan. When cooked, separate meat from all that tasty oil and set aside.

In a big pot, heat some oil, throw in onions, leeks, and celery. Cook for a few minutes. Add potato. Cook few more minutes. Add sausage, stock, water, milk, nutmeg, pepper, and some grated parmesan, too. Simmer for awhile.

Check your pumpkin. When you can scoop the flesh away with a spoon, pour in as much soup as will fit. Replace lid and bake till you feel like eating. If the outside is getting too dark, cover it with some foil.

When serving, scoop out some pumpkin flesh along with the soup. Yum!