PhotoStory Friday - Dead Pumpkin Talking

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

I think most of you have caught on by now that cooking is not exactly my forte.  I know HOW to cook - I can follow a recipe with the best of 'em, and rarely burn what I am making (although DRY is another story!).  I just don't LIKE cooking. 

Baking, on the other hand, is more my thing! 

But here's a little something you may NOT know about me - I am OBSESSED with pumpkin.

It's like a drug to me.  If I could dress it up and marry it, I would.  (Sorry, Honey!)

It's the only dessert item NOT involving chocolate that I eat with the passion and bravado of chocolate.

Pumpkin lattes, pumpkin tea, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin shakes, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin creamer, pumpkin, pumpkin, PUMPKIN!!!

With the ultimate pumpkin delicacy being.....The Pumpkin Pie.

This year I took my Pumpkin Obsession one step further and decided to eschew the canned pumpkin glop you find in the grocery store.  The moment I saw adorable baby Pie Pumpkins sitting in the produce department, I KNEW they were calling to me!

But I don't know how to turn a REAL pumpkin into a pie.  So off to the internet I flew!  And located a site called Pumpkin Patches and More which gave me step-by-step instructions of EXACTLY how to convert my punkin' into a tasty delicious pie!

My first attempt with the pie pumpkins occurred before Halloween, and turned out amazing!  But once they were devoured, I had to have MORE!!!  And what better affair for pumpkin pie then Thanksgiving Dinner!

Following is a step-by-step guide depicting how you, too, can make REAL Pumpkin Pie!  It's just this easy!!!

Below are the pumpkins, awaiting their fate.  It was a little weird that they had faces painted on them, but unsold Halloween pumpkins were the only ones that I could find...

 

First, they get a little washing with some cold water...

 

Then, slice them in half and remove the seeds and guts...

 

Once de-seeded, slice them up and steam them for about 30 minutes...

 

The steaming softens up the pumpkin "meat," which you can simply spoon out of the skin...

 

Then puree the pumpkin "meat"...

 

Until you have smooth pumpkin glop (yes, that's a technical term!)...

 

I will not recount the entire recipe, but you are welcome to go here to see it!  Those four little pumpkins managed to produce 2 pies, 6 mini-pies, 1 rectangular crustless pie, and enough left over in the freezer to make pumpkin bread or cookies, and another pie!

 

Special thanks to my Uncle Stretch for sharing his Super Secret Pie Crust recipe.  (I swear, I'll NEVER tell!)

Hope everyone had a spectacular, pie-filled Thanksgiving!

And MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Now I gotta go.  This post has made me very hungry to get my fix raid the fridge!

(All pumpkins were harmed in the making of this PhotoStory Friday.  And yes, Jenni Jiggety, I totally ripped off this disclaimer from you!)