Countdown to Thanksgiving:
Our Favorite Dish

Wednesday, November 19, 2008, by Sherra

It will come as no surprise when I reveal what our most favorite dish for Thanksgiving is…

PUMPKIN PIE

In fact, we all love it so much that PhilBillPaul always makes several “practice” pies before Thanksgiving. We’ve had two so far.

With real whupped cream.

Because you can’t eat pumpkin pie without real whupped cream.

It’s illegal.

Or immoral.

Or maybe just plain wrong.

For some reason, PhilBillPaul has always made the pies.

I know you’re thinking, “What in the heck does she cook?!?”

Since this is my blog, I don’t really think I should feel any peer pressure or become defensive.

But I do, just a little.

I guess it’s my natural reaction because I do feel a tiny bit bad for those of you overachieving domestic divas who prefer not to delegate.

My friend Ann told me this summer, “I’m a doer.”

To which I replied, “I’m a delegator.”

Apparently that’s not a word. Whatever. I like to delegate.

It takes all kinds to make the world go ’round.

If you’re still searching for a fabulous pumpkin pie recipe - look no further - here it is:

Pumpkin Pie

1/2 C sugar
1/2 C light brown sugar
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs, slightly beaten (don’t overbeat)
1.5 C evaporated milk
1.5 C canned pumpkin

Prepare favorite pie crust in deep dish pie pan. (PhilBillPaul uses the Pillsbury® crust in refrigerator section of grocery–he’s not that much of an overachiever himself.)

Mix together until well-blended. Pour into crust. Sprinkle additional cinnamon on top of pie. Bake at 425º for 10 minutes and then reduce oven temperature to 350º and bake 35 minutes. Now start testing pie for doneness by sticking thin knife in center. Continue baking until knife comes out clean, then pie is done. Let pie cool to set. Refrigerate remaining pie (if there is any left).

Whupped Cream
We do the squirt can variety of real whupped cream and sometimes get crazy and buy the “light” version. Usually we buy the “whatever is cheapest” version. Or if you are fan-cee like my mom, go ahead and take a carton of heavy whipping cream and whip that up by hand. That’s her official holiday duty when she picks up pies at Baker’s Square and visits my siblings at the holidays. After years of cooking for a family of six herself, it seems like a pretty fair trade.

Squirt can or homemade - it’s all delish.

But hide the can from Scary Baby and The Grunter because they would eat it straight up without the pie if we let them.

What will be on your Thanksgiving dessert table this year?