13 Thanksgiving pumpkin pie!

First off happy Thanksgiving everyone! Now I took a lot of pictures and then I forgot my camera at my grandmoms house (oops! I'll get it back on Saturday though). But I did download pictures of cooking the pumpkin already and my mom let me use her camera to take pictures of the pie. I'll probably put more up later but until then I have the ones I already downloaded. I'll put the recipe up now too. Anyone who wants to make one from pumpkin it really isn't that hard. Honestly the hardest part for me was cutting the pumpkin! When I poured the filling into the pie shell it was like broth, super thin, but it did firm. And definitely put the foil around the edges it looks burned if you don't. To clarify I made 2 actual pies and 3 batches of filling because I made the cute mini pies that you make in mini cupcake tins. I didn't make any of the crust though either my sister Mads or my mom did because whenever I make it by myself or help make it the pie crust gets messed up. I promise I will have more pictures soon!

Ingredients:
 
For the pie filling

• 1 medium pumpkin
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

For the pie crust

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• A little more than 3/4 shortening (packed tightly)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6-7 tbsp cold water

Cook your pumpkin:
Cut your pumpkin in half, scoop out seeds and lay face down on a foil covered pan. Roast at 400 for 35-45 min. Let  cool a little bit and scoop out the innards. Process them until smooth. They can be frozen or you can refrigerate for up to a week.

Pie Crust:
I believe I used this recipe in the apple pie. Cut the shortening into the flour and salt with a pastry cutter. Once mixture is pea sized add the water one tbsp at a time until dough forms. Don't over mix. Cut the dough ball in half and roll one half out. Lay in a 9 inch pie pan.

Pie Filling:  
In a large bowl, slightly beat eggs. Add brown sugar, flour, salt, 2 cups of the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and evaporated milk. Stirring well after each addition. Pour mixture into the uncooked pie crust. Place a strip of aluminum foil around the edge of the crust to prevent over browning. Bake 10 minutes at 450 degrees, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake an additional 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Remove the strip of foil about 20 minutes before the pie is done so that the edge of the crust will be a light golden brown. Cool pie, and refrigerate overnight for best flavor.

The pie crust recipe makes 2 pies. The leftover crust tastes rolled out, sprinkled with brown sugar and cinnamon/pumpkin pie spice. Cook until golden brown.
Adapted from allrecipes.com

More Pictures To Come!!

12 Reese's Suprise Cupcakes!

Yay, I just got the pictures! I used a store bought cake-mix and homemade icing. What made these special was the reese's cup that I put in each one!! The one thing that you really need to make these is cupcake liners, if you don't have them the cupcakes will stick. Also don't push the reese cup down, it will sink a little while cooking. I did use a baking tip when I iced them but I attached it to a plastic bag because whenever I use an icing bag most of the icing ends up on me! The icing recipe I used is really simple and take probably 5-8 min. to make! Pictures to come (hopefully) but here is the recipe!

Ingredients:

• Chocolate cake mix (and ingredients to make the cake)
• 17-18 reese's cups (regular size)
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1-2 tsp milk

Directions:
Prepare the cake mix as directed and put a giant tablespoon of batter into 12 cupcake slots in the cupcake tin. Put one reese cup on top of each tablespoon and put another tablespoon of batter on top of the reese cup. Cook at 350 for 17-22 min. or till a toothpick comes out clean, be careful that you don't hit the melted chocolate when you stick the toothpick in though. To make the icing first cream the butter and vanilla together in a mixer. Add the powdered sugar in 2-3 batches, add the cocoa and mix thoroughly, add the milk to make the frosting creamier. Chop the remaining 5-6 reese's cups up and set aside. Frost the cupcakes and add the chopped up reese's and enjoy!

 

Blueberry Muffins #11!

These turned blue!! When I made the batter I used frozen blueberries and some of them dyed the batter purple. After I cooked them they came out blue! I made these because I'm tired of having toaster waffles or cereal for breakfast. I actually had one for breakfast this morning! These don't take long to make and you don't need a mixer! I think that washing the GIANT mixing bowl is least favorite dish to wash (not that I have a favorite). I made these using a recipe from a milk-free cookbook and the still tasted great (no butter either!). Here is the recipe for a double batch. It makes about 22-24 muffins


Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups blueberries
• 2 eggs
• 12 tbsp vegetable oil
• Zest of 2 lemons
• Optional 1 tbsp sugar(to sprinkle on top)

Directions:
Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in the blueberries and lemon zest. In another bowl mix together the eggs, oil, and water. Mix all at once into the flour-blueberry mixture and stir until combined. The batter shouldn't be smooth. Divide the batter into 24 greased muffin cups and bake at 400 degrees for 17-25 min. If you only want 12 just half the recipe and cook for 15-20 min.
Adapted from The Milk Free Kitchen

#10!! Banana Cream Pies!

I have a little story. When I was 9 years old I went to my Grandmom and Grand-pop's house in Florida. Its like a tradition, my sisters went when they were 9 or so too. My Grandmom loves to cook and whenever one of us goes down there she teaches us a recipe.  My oldest sister Madeline learned how to make banana bread, Grace learned how to make beer bread, and she taught me how to make banana cream pie!  We used one ready made pie crust but this time I used 6 mini pie crusts.  The hardest part is trying not to eat all of the cool-whip! The recipe is pretty easy but its tastes AMAZING!!! Thanks for the recipe Grandmom!

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg banana cream pie pudding mix
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 ripe banana very thinly sliced
• 1 container of cool-whip
• 1 ready-made graham cracker or chocolate crust (or 6 mini ones)
• 1 block of dark chocolate

Directions:
Make the banana cream pudding using only 1 1/2 cups of milk instead of 2. Wait about 5 min. for the pudding to thicken then add 1/2 of the container of cool-whip. Mix together. Put the banana slices on the bottom of the pie leaving a couple out to put on the top of the pie. Put all of th filling into the pie crust and smooth out. Put the rest of the cool-whip and banana slices on top of the pie and grate the chocolate onto the pie. Serve Chilled.

Makes about one pie or 6 mini pies.