Crust-less Pumpkin Pie

Just like her mommy, Elisabeth prefers a pie to a cake on her birthday. She is a very smart girl, I tell you!

Her favorite pie is pumpkin, but Elisabeth hates crust. She is very polite about her hatred, she'd never say no to a pie, but she won't let any crust touch her lips. So, this year for her birthday, I made her a crust-less pumpkin pie.

It was fantastically easy and would be a great dessert for anyone who dislikes crust or if you don't want to make or don't have a pie crust handy.

The ingredients:
1 1/4 C. sugar; 3 Tbsp. flour; 3 eggs; 1 can pure pumpkin; 3/4 C. evaporated milk; 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla; 1/4 tsp. cinnamon. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Do you see what happened when I went to take this egg out of the carton?! I put a hole in it!
I was very irritated and did what any normal person would do--when the time came to add the eggs, I took all the other eggs out of the carton, took the top of the eggshell off and dumped the egg into the mixture.

What did you say?

Normal people don't do that? Only super weirdos would be worried about wasting one little egg?

Oh. Hm. I kind of feel like you're mocking me.

Well, anyway, back to the recipe...

Take the sugar,

and the flour and mix them together in your mixing bowl.
Add the three eggs
and stir until well blended.
Dump in the pumpkin,
the evaporated milk,
the vanilla,
and the cinnamon.
Mix until everything is blended together.
Pour into a greased pie pan.
Now, here's an important step: You need to find either a baking sheet with raised sides or a baking dish that is 10x15 and place the pie dish in it. Pour hot (not boiling) water into the baking sheet until it is 1/2 an inch deep (or to the top of your pinkie nail, which is how I measured it). Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a knife inserted into the pie comes out clean.
Elisabeth was the most excited newly turned 8 year old in the world to have a crust-less pie. She found it delicious. I did too. I, personally, love the way the crust adds flavor and depth to pumpkin pies, but I found this crust-less version very good. Evan, however, didn't like it very much. He has a hard time with change and doesn't like people messing with his pumpkin pie. I will definitely be making this for Elisabeth's birthdays from now on, though. It was simple and very yummy!

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Seeds

It is that time of year when lots of pumpkins are being carved and lots of pumpkin seeds are being scooped out and roasted. If you are anything like me when I first started roasting pumpkin seeds, you've burned them a few times, over seasoned them and maybe even tried to oil them. And they've all been terrible, right?

Well, fear no more! Perfectly roasted pumpkin seeds can be yours!!!

First, carve your pumpkins and have lots of fun doing so!

Then, scoop out all the seeds and put them in a bowl.
I then put the seeds in a colander and run water over them a handful at a time, getting all the pumpkin innards off of the seeds. Put the seeds on a baking sheet. I don't dry mine first, but some people do. I find it an extra, frustrating step because pumpkin seeds are so slimy and naturally oily that they stick to paper towels and kitchen towels and then I'm spending extra time trying to get them un-stuck. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Generously salt the seeds with Kosher salt. Bake them at 10-15 minute intervals, checking for browning and shaking the cookie sheets to make sure the seeds aren't sticking. Don't neglect to check them--that's where I always would forget about them and they would burn to the cookie sheets or be too browned.
I cooked mine for 30 minutes.
And there you have it! Crisp, salty and oh-so delicious! Now, go out my friends and roast those pumpkin seeds with a light heart!!!!

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bread

Do you remember last year when there was a canned pumpkin shortage?

And everyone was freaking out that they may not have pumpkin to make their pies and other dishes in time for Thanksgiving?

Well, I do. So, this year, when I saw it in the stores, I may or may not have squealed with delight when I saw them on the shelves and may or may not have grabbed an indecent amount and threw them into my cart while laughing a delirious laugh of joy.

Regardless of what might have occurred at the grocery store in front of my youngest and complete strangers, I am happy to say that I made pumpkin bread for us yesterday. The house smelled heavenly and Elisabeth reminded me that I didn't even make this bread last year. I then told her about the pumpkin scare of 2009. She had nightmares.

The ingredients:

3 1/2 C. flour; 1/2 tsp baking powder; 2 tsp. baking soda; 1 1/2 C. brown sugar; 1 1/2 C. sugar; 1 C. oil; 4 eggs; 1 1/2 tsp. salt; 1 tsp each of nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon; 2 C. of pumpkin. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Start by dumping the flour into your mixing bowl. Oh, what's that? Why yes, that is a new Kitchen Aid mixing bowl I'm using. My favorite sister-in-law gifted me this for my birthday. It has measurements on the side and a spout. I lurve it.
Then add the baking powder...
the baking soda...
the sugar...
Oh, hi, Julia. I see you've gotten into the winter wear. You look lovely.
the brown sugar...
the salt...
the nutmeg...
the cloves...
and the cinnamon.
Mix them together.
Now, in a separate bowl, dump the can of pumpkin. (Do you see me in the bowl? Peek-a-boo!)
Add the oil to the pumpkin and mix together.
Mix together the pumpkin to the dry ingredients.
Mix well.
Then praise the beautiful color of the batter and go ahead and take a lick. It's wonderfully delicious.
This makes enough for two loaves. So, generously grease two loaf pans and pour in the batter.
Cook for 50-60 minutes until it looks like this and a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
Oh my goodness, look at that bread.
This bread was perfectly pumpkin-y and moist. My girls have almost eaten half a loaf on their own. It's such a simple bread to make (you know, once you've located the pumpkin at the store). And it makes your whole house all warm and smell like fall.

Enjoy!