Cold and rainy day, let's make pie!

It's 53° and rainy here today, perfect baking weather!  So while we were out and about today I picked up a nice sized pie pumpkin, or sugar pumpkin, so I could make some scratch pumpkin pie today!  Scratch refers to the filling, I cheated and bought a frozen crust...

Start off by cutting the pumpkin in half, removing the stem and all of the guts. I hang onto the seeds cause I love roasting them for a snack!

Then place them cut side down on a pan...

Cover with foil, and bake at 375° for an hour and a half!

While it was cooking I rinsed the pumpkin seeds...

The pumpkin is out of the oven and cooling

So I'm gonna roast the seeds while I wait for it to cool completely!  300° for 45 minutes stirring occasionally....and beg the hubbs to run to the store again, because while I was gathering the spices for the pie I realized I was OUT of Cloves AND Brown Sugar....how does this happen?!?!

It's time to scoop the flesh out of the skin and run it through a press, I have two options, a lever press or a, or a mortar and pestle type press (also known as a ricer).  Both will work, it's up to you and whatever you have on hand, and what you prefer!  You can also throw the cooked pumpkin in a food processor.  Ricing it just gives it a very smooth texture.

Then it's time to make pie!!!  I use a typical pumpkin pie recipe, like the one found on the can of Evaporated Milk....I'm sure I will "oops" the amounts of spices, cause I LOVE extra spices in my pie!!!  And I never follow a recipe exactly....

Mix it all together, pour into the pie shell...and I like to grind a bit of fresh cinnamon on top before I bake it...

Bake 425° for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350° and bake for an additional 40-50 minutes.  Then it needs to cool for 2 hours, oh the torture!!  I had enough to fill the deep dish pie crust, and some for a plain bowl...which is why I love my Fiesta dishes!  I can put it directly in the oven and bake in it!!!

ENJOY!!!  We know we will!!!