Holiday Hostess: Thanksgiving

It is a couple days before Thanksgiving, and I am starting my cooking! My aunts are making the bulk of the meal, but I have been asked to make the pumpkin pies! My mother doesn't cook, but she knows how to make a pumpkin pie.

First thing first, I called my mother and got her recipe:

 I copied it onto a card from my recipe box, so that I wouldn't forget a step along the way. I had to make three pies, so I got to work right away, in order to not stay up all night! After about 45 minutes of cooking each pie filling separately, since I didn't have a bowl big enough. I popped them in the oven, now to just wait. They came out perfectly!

This pumpkin pie recipe is different than most, because you cook the filling partially before putting it in the crust. Here is the recipe:

2 Cups pumpkin (approx. 1 can, though I prefer fresh)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
4 Eggs
Pumpkin pie spice and vanilla to taste
Pie crust

Combine all of the ingredients but the vanilla in a bowl.
Cook over double boiler until thick. This gets out excess liquid.
Add vanilla, then pour into pie crust.
Bake at 350 until a knife can be inserted and come out clean, about 20 minutes.
Let cool, serve room temperature or chilled, with whipped cream.

This recipe is nostalgic for me, because it was something my mother would make every year. Most years we would visit extended family, and the one thing that my family would bring was the pumpkin pie. I wanted to get into the part too, when making the pie. I put on one of my shirt dresses and hostess apron. I felt like a housewife from the 50's prepping for her big event. It was lovely.

I hope you all can be inspired by your childhood to make something wonderful this year. I probably won't be posting again until after the holiday since I work and then travel tomorrow for Thursday, so, Happy Thanksgiving!