Make Pumpkin Pie

Benefits

Environmental Benefit: ★★☆☆☆

By eating your Halloween pumpkin, you are not only getting valuable food from it - but preventing it from going into the landfill (hey - if you don't eat it at least compost it!)

Money Saved: ★★☆☆☆

How much is 4 cans of pumpkin pie filling worth?

Lifestyle Benefit: ★★★☆☆

I consider pumpkin pie a definite lifestyle benefit.

What We're Doing

If you carve a Halloween pumpkin, chances are it sits around until getting all moldy and soft and gross and then gets thrown out, or hopefully put in the compost pile. If you wait until a few days before Halloween to carve it, and then promptly bake it up afterward - chances are you can still use it for pie! Best not to light it inside with a candle, as the heat may dry it out and you might have puddled wax to deal with as well. Better to use an electric bulb - or even one of those cool spooky green glow sticks! A good-sized pumpkin will make four pies. And you can also toast the salted seeds in your oven for a tasty snack!

I know your excuse. I can hear it already. "But I don't know how to make pumpkin pie without the recipe on the can!" OK, OK . . . here's the recipe:

Ingredients
1 small pumpkin
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie
2 eggs
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or 1/2tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp cinnamon)
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

Directions
I presume your pumpkin is already cleaned of seeds! Cut pumpkin into several pieces and place cut side down on a cookie sheet lined with lightly oiled aluminum foil. Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the flesh is tender when poked with a fork. Cool until just warm. Scrape the pumpkin flesh from the peel. Puree in small batches in a blender. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C.)
In a large bowl, slightly beat eggs. Add brown sugar, flour, salt, 2 cups of the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and evaporated milk. Stir well or blend in blender.
Pour mixture into the unbaked pastry shell. Place a strip of aluminum foil around the edge of the crust to prevent over browning.
Bake 10 minutes at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C), then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake an additional 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Remove the strip of foil about 10 minutes before the pie is done so that the edge of the crust will be a light golden brown. Cool pie, and refrigerate overnight for best flavor.

A Little Humor

Why do Jack-o-lanterns have stupid smiles on their faces?

You'd have a stupid smile, too, if you had just had all your brains scooped out!

What's the ratio of a pumpkin's circumference to its diameter?

Pumpkin Pi (3.1428571 . . .)