A Sentiment

God knew what He was doing when He sent a gentle breeze and brought a lovely butterfly to set my heart at ease. The happiness of your friendship and the gentleness of your words have touched my life in special ways and now I feel assured. Thank you for your loyalty and for reading everyday. I only hope you find things to make a happy day.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Thanksgiving Memories of Desserts

It's the time of year for everything pumpkin, but the most delicious thing to do with pumpkin ...is to make a pie. Years ago I thought it would be fun to try to make one using a fresh pumpkin. This is how I did it....I cut the  pumpkin in half and removed the seeds. Placed it cut side down on a cookie sheet lined with lightly oiled aluminum foil. Bake at 325 degrees F  for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the flesh is tender when poked with a fork. Cool until just warm. Scrape the pumpkin flesh from the peel. Either mash, or puree in small batches in a blender. Then you proceed like you would with canned pumpkin. It was more work than it was worth, I feel. Canned pumpkin is so good...especially Libby's pumpkin. I seldom make desserts anymore, but we were both hungry for a pie and I had a can of pumpkin...so you know what I did :) We enjoyed a piece yesterday with some reddi whip on top. I have a situation coming up on Thanksgiving. My daughter doesn't eat sugar, but loves squashes and pumpkin. I made a sugar free cheesecake for her one year and this year I will try a sugar free pumpkin pie.Here is the recipe that I will follow...

Sugar Free Pumpkin Pie
Prep Time: 30 minutes


Cook Time: 55 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
•9-inch pie pastry

•16-ounce can pumpkin
•12-ounce can evaporated milk
•3 eggs
•3/4 cup artificial sweetener
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•1 teaspoon ground cinnamon*
•1/2 teaspoon ground ginger*
•1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg*
•1/8 teaspoon ground cloves*

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Beat pumpkin, milk and eggs. Beat in rest of ingredients. Pour into pastry lined pie pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F. Bake for 40 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Serve with sugar free whipped cream.

I think that this will be delicious. My son, John, is bringing a pecan pie (be still my heart) and a pumpkin...mine will be just an extra...one that she can eat.  I'm glad that my yearly physical is tomorrow, not after Thanksgiving.
This was the time of year that my Mom used to make fruitcake. It was the best time of year in the kitchen.Our meals would take a back seat this time of year...so she could do her holiday baking. My aunt would make plum pudding. The two sisters would share with each other...so we would have both fruitcake and plum pudding to choose from. I will always remember that spicy smell coming from the kitchen as the fruitcakes began their long time in the oven. They would be wrapped and saved for Christmas, when there would be special people receiving them for gifts.

I always read Truman Capote's story of "The Christmas Memory" at this time of year. Also "The Thanksgiving Visitor." It's about Truman as a little boy, who lived with his relatives and his favorite cousin  Sook, who is his best friend. The narrative focuses on country life, friendship, and the joy of giving during the Christmas season, and it also gently touches on loneliness and loss.These two cohorts make fruitcakes together each year to use as gifts. It's a wonderful short story. I think anyone would enjoy it.
All this writing about fruitcake makes me want to make one today.
Balisha





7 comments:

Jan said...

I have lovely memories of my Mum's epic baking sessions when I was a child. This was the time of year when she started the Christmas cake. It would then be wrapped in foil and fed brandy for several weeks. Gorgoues smells! Jx

Blondie's Journal said...

Your memories are so sweet, Balisha! My mom was a cookie maker, there were always plenty to go around to the seven of us kids. I, too, love making cookies and pies, the sky is the limit. I'll have to try your sugar free recipe. I love traditions but I never grew up around fruitcake although I had a neighbor who made it and it was a fascinating process.

XO,
Jane

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

So much baking in past years.
None many with me this Thanksgiving but still pumpkin pie will be baked - I love them and always wonder why I do not make them more often. Years ago at the old farmhouse I used fresh pumpkin from my pumpkins :)

Diana LaMarre said...

Hi Balisha,
I once tried the same thing with real pumpkin. I decided, just as you did, that it was not worth the extra effort.

Have fun planning your Thanksgiving menu!

Anonymous said...

I made a pumpkin pie ONCE from scratch as well. I think that's all you need to do, then go back to buying the can of Libby's. Haha.

bj said...

Ummm, I do love me some pumpkin pie...which, like you, I think is the BEST way to use pumpkin.
If your grocery store carries IDEAL sugar substitute, please give it a try. It is wonderful and I've made several desserts using it and you can't tell the difference. You will love it. It can be ordered on Amazon, I think.
Now, I wish I had a piece of that pie with my morning coffee. :))

Babajeza said...

I love love love pumpkin pie!