Mmmm, Pies

We look forward to the delicious homemade pies at my mother-in-law's every year during the holidays. This Thanksgiving, I decided to bring one. I've made pumpkin pies before, but this was the first time I made it from scratch. This recipe is from Joy of Baking.

Bake a pie pumpkin at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Wait 10 minutes for it to cool before scooping out the pumpkin. Puree the pulp in a blender or food processor. I forgot this step and pureed it with the eggs. I think that's why the pie cracked when it cooled.

At the same time, you can salt and toast the seeds for 10 minutes. Pie pumpkin seeds are sooo good!

Make these gingersnap cookies.

Finely grind gingersnap cookies with toasted pecans in a food processor.

Make the pie crust and chill for an hour.

Press the cookie and pecan mixture on the bottom and up the sides of the pie crust.

Chill for another half an hour while you make the filling. Add the filling, and decorate with leaves. 

These are my first pie decorations. They're a little cracked, but it's hard to tell once the pie is baked. Bake the pie at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve at room temperature with whipped cream.

Mmmm last bite.

Add a slice of my mother-in-law's famous sour cherry pie. So delicious!