Sweetie Pie

Seems like my sister Sue has always had a nice vegetable garden. When we first moved out here I'd go over and help out. It was a fun being together, and we put in a lot of time and seeds out in the Iowa sun. I learned a lot from her since all my gardening took place in the west and I had zero gardening skills to help me out here in the midwest and plain states.

A few years ago we put in some pie pumpkins. The bugs loved them, it was one of those horrible hot and humid summers. We were barely able to rescue a few, they were either eaten, stomped on by deer or rotted on the stem.

But, the pies they made were luscious and I saved the seeds, planting them the past couple of years along with a cross pollinator..... sometimes to glory sometimes for the bugs. This year I think I have the pie pumpkin I am looking for. One that can manage out in the field on it's own, 2-3 gourds to the plant weighing about 2-3 pounds. It cleans and steams easily, thick flesh with few strands, thin skin. Pressed though a sieve, the steamed flesh is creamy with a light yellow color and delicate flavor. I measure all spices in the palm of my hand so the spice measures below are approximate. Using fresh eggs and grating some of the spices it made a wonderfully sweet and flavorful custard pie.

Pumpkin Pie

Prepare single crust for 10 inch pie. Heat oven to 425.

2 1/2 cups prepared pumpkin
3 large eggs
3/4 - 1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. clove

Evaporated milk and light creamed mixed together (1 can milk mixed with cream to make 2 1/4 cups).

Lightly flour pie pan before placing pastry in the pan, flute edges.

Beat eggs slightly before adding other ingredients and pour into pastry lined pan. To prevent spills pour mixture into oven after placing pan on oven rack. Bake 15 minutes.

Reduce temperature to 350, baking 45 minutes longer. After this, check pie every 5 minutes or so, until thin knife or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool and enjoy.