Carrot Spice and Walnut Pie

Every year our local food bank, hosts a holiday dinner for those less fortunate at the beginning of December. It is between Thanksgiving and Christmas for those who will not be able to attend/provide one with their family. Every year the school where I work requests that we bake pies (some diabetic appropriate) for the dessert portion of the dinner. Last year I made a Cranberry Apple Pie and an Apple Butter pie. This year I decided to try something different. I made a Crustless Cranberry Pie and Cranberry Topped Apple Pie. I was going to make this Carrot Spice and Walnut Pie instead but I had to try it myself. My sister's best friend loves carrots and she thought this pie was delicious. I think I had pie overload and with so many other pies at our Thanksgiving dinner, I wasn't able to appreciate this pie. If you don't like pumpkin or want to try something different, then this might be the pie for you.

Carrot Spice and Walnut Pie (adapted from allrecipes.com)

1 (9") pie crust, partially baked
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into pieces
1/3 cup honey
2 eggs
5 tablespoons softened, unsalted butter
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Steam or boil carrots until soft and let partially cool.
3. In a food processor, puree the carrots until smooth.
4. Add honey, eggs, butter, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, nutmeg and walnuts and blend until smooth.
   
5. Place carrot mixture in a bowl and fold sugars in gradually, getting out all the lumps.
   
6. Pour mixture into pie shell.
7. Bake pie for 60-70 minutes. Serve warm or cold, with or without whipped cream. Refrigerate to store.

Pumpkin (squash) Pie

Remember when I first started this blog and I said I would be blogging about pumpkin pie? Well the wait is over. I've been seeing more long-neck pumpkins in the store each week and I realized I still have most of the pumpkin still in the freezer from last year. So today I decided to make some pumpkin pie. The recipe comes from J's grandmother. Last year I had a pie making tutorial and learned how to make pumpkin pie and pot pie. My grandmother told me that they used to have pumpkin pie and squash pie at Thanksgiving. I've never liked pumpkin pie, but this is what her family would have called squash pie. Whatever you decide to call it, it's still delicious!

Pumpkin Pie (makes 2 pumpkin pies)

1 recipe double pie crust
2 eggs beaten
2 cups long-neck pumpkin puree
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon divided
1 can evaporated milk (13 oz.)- I used fat free but J claims this ruined the pie, but I can't taste the difference
1 tsp vanilla

1. Place each crust into a 9" pie plate. Flute edges or embellish to your liking (I forgot and it tasted just as good, of course :P ).
2. Mix filling ingredients in order given. Pour into pie shells (the filling make approx. 1 quart total so half in each. If you have a large mearsuing bowl with a spout it's best to use it to be more precise)
3. Bake in a preheated oven at 425 degrees for 15 min. Reduce temperature to 350 and bake another 45 min or until knife comes out clean. Cool and serve,with whipped cream if you like.

Pie Crust: 2 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, 2/3 cup + 2 tbsp shortening, 1/4 cup cold water

Mix flour and salt in a bowl. Cut in shortening with pastry blender, sprinkle with water 1 tbsp at a time. Gather dough together with hands and be sure to get all the dough form the sides of the bowl. Press firmly into a ball. Roll out for two 9" crusts.