Fresh Sliced Pumpkin Pie

Fresh Sliced Pumpkin Pie

Many years ago as a child I read the Little House on the Prairie series and fell in love with it. Since then I've read the entire series again and again countless times; to myself and also aloud to my children. I was fascinated with the way the Ingalls family lived; what they ate, what they wore and how they built their homes.

In one particular book (The Long Winter)  "Ma" makes a pie from a green pumpkin and to everyone's amazement, it tastes nearly like apple pie. I couldn't find a truly green pumpkin here, but when the season is right small pie pumpkins are sold just about everywhere.

I dutifully peeled, seeded and sliced the small pumpkin and layered it with spices and sugar in a pie crust and the result was very good. I wouldn't say it was wonderful or even delicious because I think our mind plays tricks on us when we're so used to something as pureed pumpkin in pies that when we have it in another form, it's just odd.

Making Fresh Sliced Pumpkin Pie

I won't say this was odd, either ... it was good. It was definitely worth the try and I do have at least one child who can't seem to get enough! See what you think. I may change it slightly and try again, just for fun.

Fresh Sliced Pumpkin Pie
Makes 1 Pie
Ready In: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients:

One double pie crust
One 3-pound pie pumpkin
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Wash and peel pumpkin. Remove insides with a sharp-edged spoon and keep the seeds or discard.
3. Slice pumpkin thinly.
4. Place one pie crust in a 9-inch pie pan and dust with flour. Add half of the sliced pumpkin, half of the spic and half of the sugar. Repeat.
5. Top with second crust and seal edges. Vent top and put on a baking sheet in case of spillage.
6. Bake for 1 hour until crust is browned and vents are bubbling with pumpkin juices.
7. Allow to cool for an hour before slicing.

Humble Pie

My maternal grandmother played a very large role in forming who I’ve become, and although she is no longer with us, she continues to impact me in positive ways.
One way is the legacy she left behind with recipes. Grandma didn’t have a book that she kept for herself, but she did often submit recipes to various churches for publication in their fundraising cookbooks.
None of her recipes were ever very fancy or spicy or complicated; it was humble food, reflecting the era she belonged to and the area she grew up in.
Grandma was a true Midwestern cook; heaping portions of hearty food filled with local ingredients (corn and pork) and served with love.
Born in 1908, she came of age at a time when the nation’s economy was at its worst – a bit like today. Much of her cooking was influenced by lack rather than abundance and this recipe for buttermilk pie reflects that era very well.
I will share the recipe how it was originally written and add deciphering notes at the end for anyone who may need them.

Buttermilk Pie
Printable Recipe

Sift 1 1/2 c. sugar together with 2 1/2 Tbsp. (rounded) flour and add 1 c. buttermilk. Beat 3 egg yolks separately and add to first mixture. Melt butter (size of egg) and add. Then add juice of 1 lemon or season to taste. Pour into an unbaked pie shell and bake 20 minutes at 425 deg. Reduce heat to 325 deg. and bake 20 minutes longer. Add meringue (made from egg whites) and brown.

Icebox Pie Crust:
Mix together 5 c. flour, 1 tsp. salt and 1lb. lard. Beat 1 egg in mixing cup and fill cup with water and add to above mixture. This recipe makes enough crust for 3 – 2 crust pies. Keep unused crust in refrigerator.

Meringue:
Add 1 Tbsp. water to each egg white and beat until they form peaks and add 1 Tbsp. powdered sugar and continue beating until the sugar is dissolved. (This almost doubles the amount of meringue.)
Printed in “What’s Cookin’ In South Bend, Indiana” 1954
Notes:

• Recipe used to be written with the mindset that the person reading it would already have some knowledge of cooking, and the fact is, there used to be more knowledge about cooking 50 years ago than there is today. Many people just don’t know how to do it because of all the shortcuts offered nowadays.
• People also used to cook with lard on a regular basis. Certain Hispanic communities still use lard frequently, but I’ve left it behind for slightly healthier fats. This does change the flavor of many foods, though – so be careful about which choices you make for substitutes. Sometimes Grandma’s pies, cookies or cakes just don’t taste the same now because lard is no longer used as a fat.

In the pie recipe: ‘butter the size of an egg’ is about 1/4 to 1/3 cup. Use whichever you like.
‘Season to taste’ for a buttermilk pie can be any extract or flavoring you like – so long as it doesn’t equal more than 2 or 3 Tablespoons of liquid.
‘Add meringue (made from egg whites)’ is the 3 egg whites left after separating the yolks used in the filling.

More on Fall

Last year we had our own Fall Harvest celebration of sorts. The last few posts contain recipes that were served and I needed to round it out here with one more. The Ham Loaves were really more ham balls-browned slightly and about 2" in diameter, placed in the Crockpot and topped with the sauce in the recipe. There were Garlic Cheddar Mashed Potatoes, Cream Cheese Pound Cake, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins, my own recipe Apple Pie (to follow), and an Indian Apple, whole pumpkin and whole acorn squash on the table for decoration.

It was simple, meant to be that way, and fun. The kids bobbed for apples and we lit some candles and just enjoyed the atmosphere.

Anne's Apple Pie
Not Mom's, but still good.
Printable Recipe

1 recipe double crust pie dough
5-6 large apples, peeled, cored and sliced

Mix together:

1/2 c sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (I really prefer freshly grated)

1-2 Tablespoons flour

Place bottom pie crust into a 9" pie pan and sprinkle evenly with the flour. Put half of the apples in the pan and sprinkle with half of the sugar and spice mixture. Top with remaining apples and sugar. Top with crust, crimp edges and vent-I like to use a small star shaped cookie cutter and then replace the cut out dough offset slightly on top of the opening

Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-50 minutes until apples are soft and crust is golden brown.

Double Crust Pie Dough

3 c flour
1 c shortening
salt-I use about 1/2 teaspoon
6-7 Tablespoons ice water
Mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening until it resembles coarse meal or small peas. Add water a tablespoon at a time until dough forms well. Let stand 10 minutes under an overturned bowl before rolling to desired thickness.

July 4th Food

We spent yesterday evening at MIL's for the 4th and, as usual, she had a good food spread. Sausage sandwiches with peppers (yellow! not traditional green) and onions in a tomato sauce, hot dogs on the grill for the kids (both with bakery fresh cut-your-own rolls), crudites (cauliflower, celery, grape tomatoes and baby carrots with dip), *red potato salad, *bow tie pasta salad (with big strips of red pepper, slices of summer squash, and black olives among the veggies), chips, and several drinks including pink lemonade.

Dessert was a display of cupcakes decorated like an American flag (cute!), *cherry pie, and bite-sized brownies.

*These are variations on a couple recipes MIL served since hers were all store-bought.

Red Potato Salad
Printable Recipe

10 red bliss potatoes (that means the small ones!) cooked and cubed
1 c mayo
1 clove garlic,minced
1t dried dill
1/2 small onion-finely chopped
2t grainy brown mustard
1t sugar

Combine mayo and seasonings-blend well. Add to potatoes
and toss until well combined. Thin with milk if
necessary.


Bow Tie Pasta Salad
Printable Recipe

1 lb box bow ties-cooked and drained
1 large yellow pepper-cut into strips
1 large red pepper-cut into strips
1 large green pepper-cut into strips
1 large summer squash (yellow) cut into thin slices
1 can ripe black olives-drained-each cut in half
1 bottle of your favorite Italian dressing

Mix it all together and let sit in the refrigerator for several hours. That's it! You can definitely add whatever else you'd like to this--salami and cheese chunks, other veggies, etc.


Basic Cherry Pie
Printable Recipe

Pastry for 2-crust pie
1 egg
water
4 cups fresh pitted sour cherries
OR 2 -1 pound cans tart cherries, drained, with 1/3 cup juice reserved
2-3/4 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons butter, cut in little cubes

Combine egg and 1 tablespoon water to make egg glaze. In 9-inch glass pie pan, place 1 piece of pastry. Brush with egg glaze. Keep pie crust in refrigerator while making filling.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Combine fruit, tapioca, salt, sugar and extract. (If using canned cherries add reserved fruit juice. Stir and let mixture stand for 5 minutes.
Spoon mixture in prepared crust. Dot with butter cubes. Use egg glaze to moisten rim of pie. Roll-out top crust to 1/8-inch thick. You may either cut crust into 1/2-inch strips or put pastry on as is. Just be sure to cut vents into the top. Make sure pastries are pinched together. Either brush top crust with egg glaze or milk. If using milk, sprinkle top with sugar.

Bake for 20 minutes and then use foil around the crust edges to protect from burning. Bake for 20 more minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Serve plain or with whipped cream.