My *gasp* first pumpkin pie

One might think - considering my love of Thanksgiving (favorite holiday!) and pumpkin and baking - that I would have made countless pumpkin pies in my 21 28 years in this world.

One would be wrong.

I cannot recall ever making a pumpkin pie. I used to ask for pumpkin pie instead of birthday cake, but I never made my own. During my childhood and college, my aunt, uncle or grandma always made the pies for Thanksgiving. I willingly ate my share. After I graduated college, that arrangement remained primarly the same, but I was almost always working on the holiday and would usually just partake in a work potluck. The rest of my family got to feast on my aunt's, uncle's or grandma's pies (which always included a pumpkin pie and a fruit pie, like apple or cherry).

But there have been two Thanksgivings since I got married, and last year, the holiday was soon after we returned from our honeymoon. I honestly think I bought a pre-made frozen pie to simplify my life. I was cooking a turkey for the first time last year and figured one new thing was enough to conquer.

This year, life wasn't any less complex, but I had all of my stock-piled pumpkin and wanted to make a pie.

Full disclosure: I'm weary of pies. I've made them from scratch, including a peach pie I started enthusiastically when I was about 14 and quickly lost patience with ... I love pumpkin pies largely because the whole crust factor is a lesser issue - no lattice on the top, just crimping on the side. And this year, I still went the easy way out with a store-bought crust. But it's progress, people!

My husband loved the pie and said I should make pumpkin pie more often. Will do, babe.

Here's our full spread:


Ingredients

1 (9 inch) unbaked deep dish pie crust
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 eggs
1 (15 ounce) can LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs lightly in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shell.

3. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F.; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. (Do not freeze as this will cause the crust to separate from the filling.)

Source: Libby's