Pumpkin Cream Pie from Canned or Homemade Pumpkin Puree

I mentioned my son grew pumpkins this year, his e-mail read "the first one is ripe and ready for picking if you want to try to make some pie or something. Let me know if you want it for blog fodder". Words to melt a mother's heart:@) I would have been happy using it as a decoration but since he was subtly hinting around at pie that's the route I took. I was asked to save enough pulp for a traditional pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, so today went in a totally different direction... This Pumpkin Cream Pie was pretty easy (especially using store bought crust), very tasty and nice and cool for Indian Summer!

But while the pudding filling is amazing, the slices just aren't very pretty. So I'd suggest that either you serve it as pudding or get those little individual graham cracker crusts and garnish the top with some nuts, then they'd be perfect little cream pies! Use a light hand with the spices, that helps make this a nice mild treat, I just added a little extra nutmeg to the top for the pic.

Let the season of Pumpkin Palooza begin!

Pumpkin Cream Pie-slightly adapted from The Pioneer Woman
One 9" graham cracker pie crust-store bought or homemade-I suggest individual size
3oz vanilla pudding, the cook and serve type
1 C Half and Half
1/2 C heavy cream
pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and barely a touch of cloves-keep the spices light
2 Tblsp whisky, optional-I did not use this
1/2 C plus 3 Tblsp pumpkin puree
1/2 C heavy cream-additional
2 Tblsp brown sugar
extra graham cracker crumbs or nuts or candied pumpkin seeds or whipped cream for garnish

1. Mix pudding, Half and Half, heavy cream and spices in pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thick.
2. Remove from heat, add whisky if using and pumpkin. Mix well (a whisk helps).
3. Put lid on pot and allow to cool. Once cool place in fridge to get cold.
4. When cold, add heavy cream and brown sugar to separate bowl and mix until light and fluffy. 
5. Fold whipped cream into pumpkin mixture. Pour into crust, cover with plastic wrap touching the top of the pie and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
6. Garnish top if desired.

To make homemade pumpkin puree: 

1. Clean seeds and innards out of pumpkin, cut in half or fourths if larger pumpkin.
2. Place on a parchment covered cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour (until it's easy to stick a fork into). 
3. Let cool for a bit and remove the flesh from the skin with a spoon. 
4. Mash the pumpkin (I used the food processor). 
5. I then placed it in a damp clean dish cloth in a strainer and allowed it strain for an hour. Since this wasn't a specific "pie" pumpkin I even rolled up the towel and squeezed quite a bit of liquid out of it before I used it. 
6. The puree can be frozen, I figured it would take about 2 cups to make a traditional pumpkin pie and plan to thaw it in a strainer too.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

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