Little Ivy Cakes

NEED A PUMPKIN PIE RECIPE?!

THANKSGIVING IS enjoying time with your family and friends

THANKSGIVING IS our American heritage and abundance we harvest

THANKSGIVING IS giving to those in need

THANKSGIVING IS reaching out to the lonely

THANKSGIVING IS being grateful for who and what you ALREADY have

THANKSGIVING IS a warm heart and welcoming hearth

THANKSGIVING IS being content after enjoying all the food you worked so hard to make all day

THANKSGIVING IS laughing with good company

THANKSGIVING IS sharing graceful smiles

THANKSGIVING IS showing unconditional love

Amongst the RUSH and STRESS of Thanksgiving and the up and coming Holidays, let’s actually THINK about them for a second.
I know it may feel busy all around you and you may start to feel overwhelmed with all you “need” to do, bake, get, cook, shop, shop, shop, and shop, bake.

But, when this happens, this overwhelmed-ness feeling, just STOP. And breathe slowly in-and-out five times and get that peace back.

It’s just about celebrating and enjoying life and being kind and understanding to the people you love.
It reminds me of a quote,
"I've learned that people will forget what you said,
people will forget what you did, but people will
never forget how you made them feel."
-Maya Angelou

Do you make people feel good when they are around you? or do they feel bad when they spend time with you?
Do you welcome them into the Thanksgiving cooking to help? Or do you shoo at them to get out of the kitchen?
Do you snap at them when potatoes fly all over the kitchen walls and ceiling? Or do you laugh with them?
Do you criticize that relative at the table? Or do you encourage them?
Do you choose to be offended at someone or something they said or did? Or do you take a deep breath, let it go, and give them the benefit of the doubt that they did not mean to hurt you?
Taking the time to be gracious to people you love, and grateful for what you ALREADY have will make all the difference in your heart and will shine through for others to see. Sure no one can be perfect but we can make an intentional effort to me kind and be a light in life.

And being a light in life sometimes means baking yummy things right? :)

So if you want to make an easy semi-from scratch pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, I strongly encourage it! It’s really simple to make and it will be waaaay better than store bought, I guarantee it. If you make your dessert pies the day before Thanksgiving it will reduce your stress level and you can then focus on the rest of the turkey dinner on THE day. You don’t even really have to find a recipe because there is usually a recipe for pumpkin pie right on the pumpkin can label. Plus you are about to read one right here...
Here’s my adapted version from Libby’s

The Crust:
I make (or buy to save time) a graham cracker crust-chocolate or vanilla. For some reason, I am  just not crazy about the regular pie crust for pumpkin pie.

2 cups chocolate or cinnamon graham cracker crumbs (blend chunks of the cookies in your food processor or blender until you have fine crumbs.)
½ - ¾ cup butter, melted

-Whisk butter and crumbs together until just moist.

-Press mixture into you pie plate on the bottom and sides.Set aside. No need to pre-bake.

The Filling: Extra spices for me please!
1-2 tsp cinnamon
1-2 tsp All Spice
1-2 tsp ground ginger
1-2 tsp nutmeg
Pinch cardamom
Or if you want and need it to be easy, 2-3 Tbs pumpkin pie spice instead of all the above
½ tsp salt
¾ cup sugar
1-15 oz plain pumpkin
2 large eggs, room temp
1 -12 oz can evaporated milk

-In a small bowl, whisk all spices, salt and sugar together, set aside.
-In a large bowl, lightly whisk eggs
-Add in pumpkin and sugar/spice mix
-Slowly pour in milk while mixing slowly. Add only ¾ can of milk if you want a thicker pie that has less chance of being runny.
-If you want to get fancy, melt ½ cup semi sweet chocolate chips with ¼ cup heavy cream, and 1/2 cup of your pumpkin batter, then swirl it into the rest of the filling and pour into pie crust to bake.
-Or if you want to get fancy, beat 1 pk cream cheese at room temperature until fluffy then add your sugar, eggs, pumpkin, and milk.
-Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and bake for 45 minutes until knife in center comes clean.

And if you can make your own whipped cream topping, it is again, totally worth it!!!

The Whipped Cream Topping:

1 pint whipping cream
1 -2 Tbs powdered sugar
2 Tbs vanilla extract or paste

-Chill your completely dry steel bowl and whisk attachments for 15-20 minutes in the freezer (this will make your whipping go much, much faster)
-Pour whipping cream in the bowl and whip with electric beater until you have soft peaks (5 mins)
-Then add your sugar and vanilla.
-Continue to whip until you have stiff peaks (another 3 mins). Store up to a day in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap.
-Or make chocolate whipped cream by melting 1/2 cup chocolate chips, let cool for 10 mins. Fold 1/3 of your whipping cream with the chocolate. Then add the chocolate/cream to the rest of your whipped cream.

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with amazing food and company.