Favorite Fall Recipe 2: Easy Mini Pumpkin Pies

The wait is over just in time for Thanksgiving! Here's the much anticipated favorite of fall recipe #2! Mini pumpkin pies! Wait, don't run away just yet, it's actually super easy! Really!

store bought dough, cut circles and stick in-
muffin tin, pour in-
canned pie filling, bake in-
oven 425 F for 15 min, turn down to 350 F for 25-30 min
Wallah! Top with whipped cream and enjoy!

Step by step instructions here: http://www.makeandtakes.com/muffin-tin-pumpkin-pies.

Very cute and tastes good! However, if you want pie to die for, like me, you can go a little further. Make your own crust or filling or both! 

Here's the perfect all time best crust in the world I use for every pie (unless I run out of time and am forced to (*gasp*) buy store bought. Enough for one crust, double if need a top crust as well. (double to have enough for mini pies)

Best Pie Crust Ever

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups flour - plain flour, not self-rising.  I use whole wheat flour.
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/6 cup COLD vegetable shortening - I use Crisco, just as my grandmother did.  Useful conversion: 1/6 cup = 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons
• 1/3 cup COLD butter
• 1/4 cup cold water

Mix Ingredients: flower, sugar, and shortening first. Then add butter. 
Add little bit of water at a time, just enough to moisten dough so it holds together.
Chill (optional)
Roll out between two pieces of wax paper.  Put in greased pie pan, shape and pinch edges or for mini pies, cut into 4" in diameter circles with cookie cutter or cup rim and put circles into well greased muffin tin.

See  http://pickyourown.org/piecrust.php for detailed instructions.


I've always preferred canned pumpkin pie filling with just a bit more pumpkin pie spice added (I guess it's just what I was raised on I'm used to the texture and flavor), but this homemade filling is delicious, and everyone I know that has tasted it absolutely Loves it! And always asks for the recipe. (No, don't run screaming!) For years I avoided ever attempting a homemade filling because it just had to be hard and very involved, but it's way easier than you'd ever expect!

Easy Delicious Homemade Pumpkin Pie Filling

Ingredients:

• Pie Pumpkin, smaller than a typical jack-o-lantern pumpkin, about 6-8 inches in diameter.
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 large eggs
  
• 3 cups pumpkin puree (way easier to get than you think, I swear!)
•  1.5 cans evaporated milk
  

Rinse pumpkin clean, cut off top, scoop out insides (just like at Halloween),  cut into 2-4 pieces. 
Use a sturdy spoon, such as an ice cream scoop, to scrape all remaining stringy stuff from the "meat" of the pumpkin.
Put in microwave (yes, microwave! Told you it was easy!) in a microwavable bowl such as a glass casserole dish with lid in two inches or so of water for 15 minutes on high.
Repeat in smaller increments of time if needed until soft enough to scoop innards out. Sometimes the "meat" falls right off the skin!
Puree in blender, who knew pumpkin puree was so easy to get, right?! Should yield about 3 cups or so.
Mix all ingredients in mixer or with hand blender.

Pour into pie crust right to the top, doesn't rise like a cake. Will be very runny, but will firm up after cooling. Or pour into mini pie crusts in your muffin tin. (If you have extra puree, freeze and put in pancakes or french toast. So good with maple syrup!)
Bake at 425 F for 15 min, then turn down to 350 F for another 50 min. Knife inserted in center should come out clean.
Cool, top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and eat! Yum! My mouth is watering already!

For more detailed directions, I started with this recipe and made it a bit simpler over the years:  http://pickyourown.org/pumpkinpie.php

That's it! So much easier than you could have imagined and everyone will be in awe of how much work you did and how wonderful it is and aren't you just a little Betty Crocker?! Just smile, nod and enjoy!