Naturally, this time of the year calls for pumpkin based foods, be they stews, cakes, lattes, muffins, pancakes, or one of the most beloved desserts of all time: pumpkin pie.
Typically an after dinner staple at Thanksgiving and Christmas, there's no reason why you can't bake a festive pumpkin pie or two this week to celebrate Halloween and the beautiful spirit of the rich harvest season.
I adore pumpkin pie (especially if it's been generously seasoned with oodles of cinnamon and other sublimely scented spices), and am always game for trying a new recipe (especially if I can easily make it gluten-free so that I can have a slice, too).
Today's vintage pumpkin pie recipe calls on Carnation Evaporated milk to help add moisture and silkiness to finished dish, and is a cinch to throw together if you use a pre-made (store bought or homemade) pie crust.
{As the writing size is quite small on this lovely autumn time recipe, be sure to click here for a somewhat larger - easier to read - version. Image via vieilles_annonces on Flickr.}
For an especially festive touch, you could use a mini pumpkin shaped cookie cutter (Wilton makes a darling 12 piece mini Halloween cookie cutter set that would be perfect) to cut out tiny pumpkins of dough and place them on top of your pie.
You could also serve this with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, pudding or custard that you'd tinted black, green or purple for an extra spooky touch that kids (and the young at heart) will definitely enjoy.
Another idea would be to turn this pie into individual sized pies or tarts and dust some Halloween sprinkles (again - and I swear this is not product placement, they just make awesome holiday themed items - such as those from Wilton) over each one.
If you're going for a more elegant take on pumpkin pie, I'm quite fond of it dished up with gently warmed dulce de leche drizzled all over each slice, the creamy sauce combining with the sweetly spiced filling for forkful after forkful of caramel apple meets pumpkin pie taste bud heaven.
Whether you bust out the pie plate today or hold off until Thanksgiving to whip up this scrumptious favourite, I hope you'll join me in creating at least one of these beautiful, seasonal treats this year, as - in my opinion - autumn just isn't the same without a slice or two of classic pumpkin pie!
