The Creeping Terror Part 1--Pumpkin Pie

My good friend paisana posted a request for holiday recipes. So here's my pumpkin pie.

Warning: if you usually double the spices in baking, DON'T DO IT HERE. I already doubled the spices, and I can't be held responsible.

Ginger Pumpkin Pie

(makes one 9" pie)

Ingredients:

• 3 small pie pumpkins
  
• 1-1/4 c brown sugar
  
• 3 eggs
  
• 1/2 pint cream (or half and half if you're a pansy)
  
• 1 tsp salt
  
• 3 tsp cinnamon
  
• 2 tsp ground ginger (or fresh, if you roll that way...our local meijer didn't have it the last time I tried)
  
• 1 tsp ground cloves
  
• 1 tsp grated nutmeg
  
• pinch of black or cayenne pepper
  
• 2 tsp vanilla
  
• candied ginger
  

Directions:

• Cut the pie pumpkins in half, and place face down on a baking sheet covered in foil. Bake in a 400 degree oven until a knife slides in easily
• Mash the pumpkin using a potato masher, and measure out 3 cups of the mixture. Save the rest for pumpkin bread/muffins/cupcakes.
  
• Combine all of the ingredients except for the candied ginger
  
• Lay a pie crust in a 9" pie pan (I won't give you a crust recipe. I find that most people either have a recipe of their own, or wouldn't dream of making a pie crust)
  
• Slice the candied ginger and cover the bottom of the pan with ginger (don't skimp!)
• Pour the pie filling on top of the ginger
• Bake at 425 for 20 minutes, then lower the heat to 275 and bake until the center is firm

Remember--pumpkin is a vegetable, so it is perfectly acceptable to eat leftover pumpkin pie for breakfast. Mmmmm...

PS: the title of this blog post is thanks to my roommate, Matt. If you don't understand it, bother him.