“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”
L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
…and yet, it is a bit depressing that it has almost gone by while I have spent most of it learning about the intricacies of the heart and lungs and taking test after test….yes, no off-weekends for me for a while now.
I live in the most perfect state to watch the leaves change colors, to feel the subtleties of the Autumn breeze caress my skin in the mornings on my way to school, to watch the swirls of vanishing foliage disappear in the wind while I wait for the bus. I keep telling myself that after the next test I will have time…my daily dose of wishful thinking!
Finally, after my pulmonology test yesterday I decided to celebrate October by baking a delicious pumpkin pie for dessert. I also made plans to have a fancy dinner with my husband John who lovingly cooked an amazing meal for me and picked a wonderful liquid red from the store. The dinner, the wine and the cuddles afterwards made me feel so incredibly good that I passed out from exhaustion on the couch without having time for dessert…trying to have my pie and eat it too has proven quite difficult for me lately. C’est la vie!
Easy Pumpkin Pie a la Paula Dean
modified from Food Network
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INGREDIENTS
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups canned pumpkin
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- A pinch ground cloves
- A pinch grated nutmeg
- 1 piece pre-made pie dough
- Whipped cream, for topping
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place 1 piece of pre-made pie dough down into a (9-inch) pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. Follow the instructions on the package for how to do this. Put the pie shell back into the refrigerator while you work on the rest of the pie.
- For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, and the rest of the spices and beat until incorporated.
- Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust and bake for 60 minutes, or until the center is set. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.
