Holiday Cooking

Classic Pumpkin Pie: So Easy It’s Ridiculous

by liz · Nov 16, 2020

Even though my favorite holiday pies involve Pumpkin and Bourbon (no brainer) or Sweet Potato and Pecans (two pies in one!) you can’t beat the ease of the classic holiday pumpkin pie. And the Libby’s pumpkin pie recipe on the back of the can is as classic as you can get.

Here it is, with step-by-steph photos…and even a video. Enjoy making this for your holiday dinners, even at the last minute, and be sure to please everyone’s sweet tooth at the table.

Classic Pumpkin Pie

Recipe by Libby’s

Ingredients for 10 servings:

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 ounces) Pumpkin purée
1 can (12 fluid ounces) Evaporated Milk, (Or substitute with equal amount Lactose-Free or Almond Cooking Milk)
1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell or Homemade Pie Crust (it’s easier than you think, and it’s so much better than a store-bought crust)

Directions:

Make pie crust, or thaw premade crust. IF HOMEMADE: make your pie crust look pro by using your finger to press the sides all the way around. It’ quick, simple, and elevates the look of the end result.

Preheat oven to 425° F and gather ingredients.

Mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl.

Beat eggs in large bowl.

Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture.

Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

Pour into pie shell.

Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F, and bake for 40 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Classic Pumpkin Pie

Author: Libby's

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 40 mins

Total time: 55 mins

Serves: 10

Ingredients

¾ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 ounces) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 can (12 fluid ounces) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk, (Or substitute with equal amount Lactose-Free or Almond Cooking Milk)
1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell or homemade pie shell

Instructions

Mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.
Pour into pie shell.
Bake in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

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Pumpkin Spice Latte Muffins

by liz · Nov 16, 2020

These pumpkin muffins are easy, quick and satisfying – there are only 3 steps. Everyone in the family will love them! Especially pumpkin spice latte lovers, like me.

You can also sub 1/4 of the flour for whole-wheat or almond flour, and part or all of the sugar with alternative sugar (like erithritol or monkfruit) to make them healthier. I might even sneak in some grated zucchini (just take out half the milk).

Pumpkin Spice Latte Muffins

Based on recipe by VeryBestBaking.com

Ingredients for 12 servings:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup Pumpkin purée
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup buttermilk or milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400° F. Grease or paper-line 12 muffin cups.

Combine flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, baking soda and ginger in large bowl. Combine butter, pumpkin, eggs and buttermilk in medium bowl. Add to flour mixture, stir just until moistened. Spoon into prepared muffin cups, filling 3/4 full.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Spiced Pumpkin Muffins

Author: VeryBestBaking.com

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 25 mins

Serves: 12

These pumpkin muffins are easy, quick and satisfying - there are only 3 steps. Everyone in the family will love them! Especially pumpkin spice latte lovers, like me.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
⅔ cup packed brown sugar
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
½ cup butter, melted
½ cup Pumpkin purée
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
⅓ cup buttermilk or milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400° F. Grease or paper-line 12 muffin cups.
Combine flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, baking soda and ginger in large bowl. Combine butter, pumpkin, eggs and buttermilk in medium bowl. Add to flour mixture, stir just until moistened. Spoon into prepared muffin cups, filling ¾ full.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely.

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Deep Fried Brussels Sprouts

by liz · Nov 15, 2020

How long have Brussels Sprouts dominated menus? Man, they are delicious…we’ve had them with bacon, reduced balsamic vinegar, blue cheese, garlic, pine nuts, honey-glazed, charred with parmesan, chili flakes, cream and even pomegranate seeds.

But the best way (especially if you are deep-frying a turkey or chicken) is deep-fried Brussels sprouts with sherry vinegar & capers. This is so easy if you already have a deep fryer read to go – as soon as you pull out the bird, just throw in the Brussels Sprouts, follow the directions below, and voila!

To make them, trim the stem off washed Brussels Sprouts and cut them in half. Heat peanut oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees – grapeseed and cottonseed oils also have a high smoke point (olive oil won’t work). Fry them for 2-4 minutes or until golden brown – before they get mushy inside. This all depends on the size – watch for the edges to get golden and crispy-looking, while the bulb is still green.

Remove them onto paper towels to dry up some of the grease and toss them with Sherry vinegar and kosher salt, then finish them with a handful of capers.

It’s important to use the best ingredients, which means Spanish Sherry – the place where Sherry originates – and when it comes to capers, smallest are best.

Deep Fried Brussels Sprouts

Recipe type: side dish

Cuisine: American

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 4 mins

Total time: 14 mins

Serves: 12

Best way to cook Brussels sprouts (especially if you are deep-frying a turkey or chicken) is deep-fried with sherry vinegar & capers.

Ingredients

1 pound Brussels sprouts
Peanut Oil for frying
Sherry
sea salt
capers

Instructions

Trim the stem off washed Brussels Sprouts and cut them in half.
Heat peanut oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees – grapeseed and cottonseed oils also have a high smoke point (olive oil won’t work).
Fry them for 2-4 minutes or until golden brown – before they get mushy inside. This all depends on the size – watch for the edges to get golden and crispy-looking, while the bulb is still green.
Remove them onto paper towels to dry up some of the grease and toss them with Sherry vinegar and kosher salt, then finish them with a handful of capers.

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No-Fail Sweet Potato Pie: Southern Charm on a Plate

by liz · Nov 14, 2020

Being from the South/Midwest/Above Texas, the thought of a sweet potato pie with a pecan pie topping really appealed to me. Plus, this one even has “No Fail” in the recipe title!

If you’re looking for something a little easier, a little slower, with a nice Southern drawl, this one’s for you. Plus, it beats all the pies on the holiday table!

Watch the video above to see how easy it is.

No-Fail Sweet Potato Pie

Ingredients for 8 servings:

FILLING

3/4 pound sweet potatoes (about 2 large or 3 small to medium)
1/4 cup melted butter
1 can (14 ounces) Sweetened Condensed Milk (fat free is ok)
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 unbaked (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell or Homemade Pie Crust (it’s easier than you think, and it’s so much better than a store-bought crust)

TOPPING

1 large egg
2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

FOR FILLING

PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Wash and wrap sweet potatoes in foil, as shown above.

BAKE for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on size. Unwrap and rinse potatoes under cold water; remove skin. Break apart in large bowl. INCREASE oven temperature to 425° F.

POUR melted butter in bowl with sweet potatoes. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Blend in sweetened condensed milk, grated orange peel, cinnamon, vanilla extract, nutmeg, salt and egg. Pour into unbaked pie shell.

BAKE at 425° F, as shown above, for 20 minutes. Remove from oven; reduce temperature to 350° F.

FOR TOPPING

MIX together egg, corn syrup, sugar, butter and nuts in small bowl; spread over pie.

BAKE for an additional 25 minutes or until set.

Sweet Potato Pie with Pecan Topping

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep time: 2 hours

Cook time: 90 mins

Total time: 3 hours 30 mins

Serves: 12

Being from the South/Midwest/Above Texas, the thought of a sweet potato pie with a pecan pie topping really appealed to me. Plus, this one even has "No Fail" in the recipe title.

Ingredients

FILLING
¾ pound sweet potatoes (about 2 large or 3 small to medium)
¼ cup melted butter
1 can (14 ounces) Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell or Homemade Pie Crust*
TOPPING
1 large egg
2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

FOR FILLING:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Wash and wrap sweet potatoes in foil.
BAKE for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on size. Unwrap and rinse potatoes under cold water; remove skin. Break apart in large bowl.
INCREASE oven temperature to 425° F.
POUR melted butter in bowl with sweet potatoes. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Blend in sweetened condensed milk, grated orange peel, cinnamon, vanilla extract, nutmeg, salt and egg. Pour into unbaked pie shell.
BAKE at 425° F for 20 minutes. Remove from oven; reduce temperature to 350° F.
FOR TOPPING:
MIX together egg, corn syrup, sugar, butter and nuts in small bowl; spread over pie.
BAKE for an additional 25 minutes or until set.

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Pumpkin Pie Deconstructed: 6 New Recipes

by liz · Oct 25, 2020

Pumpkin Bourbon Pie Recipe — Photo by VeryBestBaking.com

Pumpkin pie, a holiday tradition. Whether you like the classic version or a slightly more flavorful Broubon version (which makes this the favorite for my family), it’s just not the holidays without a pumpkin pie of some kind.

This year, we’ve asked 6 bloggers to help us deconstruct and reinvent pumpkin pie, and create 6 totally new ways to make it. You’ve probably seen Bravo’s Top Chef where contestants are often asked to take whatever ingredients are given to them and create something delicious and spectacular out of it. I do this best with the remnants in my fridge, especially after a party. Well, we’re throwing classic pumpkin pie fixings at our bloggers, and you’re going to like what they’ve cooked up.

Or baked up in Jessica’s case, from How Sweet It Is, who created the 6-layer Pumpkin Pie Spice cake above (plus another layer cake with more chocolate!):

Cake #1 = 2 layers each of peanut butter cake, crunchy cinnamon apple cake and spiced pumpkin cake, each layer sandwiched by a layer of cinnamon sugar butter cream
Cake #2 = a center layer of pumpkin spice cheesecake, enveloped by chocolate fudge cake with the outermost layers being peanut butter cake, concealed in a thick layer of dark chocolate fudge chip frosting

Kelly from Evil Shenanigans created a lighter, elegant pumpkin dessert with the Cinnamon Crêpes with Pumpkin Mousse & Graham Crust Crumble above, something even the pickiest in-laws will love.

Or maybe you don’t especially like pumpkin pie (I know there are some of you out there), and maybe you’d like a refreshing twist like Pumpkin Pie Popsicles above from Damaris’ Kitchen Corners. These are so unique; I love how creamy they look, and also easy to make!

Another twist on the original is Knuckle Salad‘s Pumpkin Ice Cream Pizza Pie above, which Kristina re-creates from her childhood memories of ice creams shop goodies and tough love.

Looking for something delicious, crustless and gluten-free? Then, the Pumpkin Pie Rice Pudding recipe above created In Erika’s Kitchen is for you.

I don’t know about you, but I love crème brulée, and I love Julie’s (aka Mommie Cooks) Pumpkin Crème Brulée above, although I think I would have loved her pumpkin hand pies and whoopie pies too.

So this holiday season, we hope you’ll be inspired to deconstruct your own pumpkin pie and try something new. It not, there’s always the classic version…and the slightly more tipsy one too.

Recipe Links:

Sparkling Holiday Champagne Punch

by liz · Dec 16, 2018

This is a delightful winter holiday punch with pears, cranberries and Sparkling Wine. You can use Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, Crémant or any other type of bubbles you can find—we especially love all the latest Central Coast Sparkling Wine. If you use a drier sparkler, just use less ginger ale. You can also adjust the amount of pear juice to your taste—especially if you like a fresher, crisper libation. On the other hand, many folks prefer a sweeter punch, and pear nectar or soda will pack more punch in that area.

Sparkling Holiday Punch – recipe adapted from Meals.com

Ingredients:

2-3 cups of fresh pear juice or purée (or 2 cans pear nectar or soda)
2 cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 can (12 oz) ginger ale, chilled
1 bottle (750 ml) sparkling wine
1/2 cup frozen cranberries

Directions:

PLACE nectar, cinnamon sticks, cloves and cardamom in large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes.

REFRIGERATE for 4 hours or until chilled. Remove cinnamon sticks and cloves with slotted spoon. Pour mixture into large punch bowl; stir in ginger ale. Float cranberries on top.

Sparkling Holiday Champagne Punch

Author: Meals.com

Recipe type: Drinks

Prep time: 5 mins

Total time: 5 mins

Serves: 8 cups

This is a delightful winter holiday punch with pears, cranberries and Sparkling Wine.

Ingredients

3 cans pear nectar
2 cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves
½ teaspoon ground cardamom, (optional)
1 bottle (1 liter) ginger ale, chilled
½ cup frozen cranberries

Instructions

PLACE nectar, cinnamon sticks, cloves and cardamom in large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes.
REFRIGERATE for 4 hours or until chilled. Remove cinnamon sticks and cloves with slotted spoon. Pour mixture into large punch bowl; stir in ginger ale. Float cranberries on top.

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Homemade Eggnog Ice Cream

by liz · Dec 11, 2018

One thing I’ve learned through my attempts to cook from scratch is that I now love foods I used to hate. Asparagus, eggplant, brussels sprouts and bone marrow are just a few items on the long list of foods that taste better made by me. Another one is eggnog.

I’d only ever had pre-made store-bought eggnog before, and it was so thick with a strong and manufactured, sweet, eggy flavor. It tasted too-strong and fake, much the way Mrs. Butterworth’s maple flavored syrup compares to real maple syrup from trees in Canada or Vermont. It always made me slightly queasy.

This year, I was in such a holiday mood, that when I came across a recipe online for old-fashioned eggnog, it sounded frothy and merry and delicious. I also realized our ancestors knew how to cut the cream and make anyone love eggnog: with a lot of liquor.

Using the old-fashioned recipe, I created my eggnog with one difference. I used only Cognac and Cointreau as the potent ingredients – but I followed the same overall measurement of liquor. It took an awfully long time to whip the mixture into peaks, but I was committed. I did both sets of whipping with vigor, for an especially extended period of time. When it was ready, it was delicious…the best eggnog I’d ever tasted.

It was so airy and light, with a lovely delicate flavor. But it was a bit difficult to drink, as the froth that had been whipped so superbly now stuck to the side of the glass heroically. But I wanted that foam with the drink, much like a perfect cappuccino.

I knew what would fix this! Ice cream. Putting the whole thing in an ice cream machine would freeze the mixture while still keeping it slushy because of the alcohol. It would be the perfect homemade eggnog ice cream shake. And so I froze it. And then I ate it. And drank it. And spooned it into my coffee in the morning. And served it to everyone who came into my house. Then, we drank more. It was the perfect beginning to my holiday mornings and the perfect end to my holiday dinners.

I really do love eggnog, now just as much as my ancestors did.