Squash Pie

We opened up our first hubbard squash - it was kind of soft and squishy on the outside so we knew it wouldn't last very long in the basement. I cooked up a couple of squash pies with it today. Mmmmh. I wish there were some way to capture the smell of hubbard squash pie to share with you on this blog. There is nothing quite like it. To me it smells like the Fall harvest - the warm cozy smell of home in the fall. I hope to cook up several more this fall just for the smell. I'm sure that once I taste them that I'll want to cook up several more for the taste as well! YUM!! My recipe comes from a wonderful neighbor friend who taught me to make pie crust. And I am forever indebted to her. I still haven't mastered it like she has, but I'm a lot better than I used to be. I've tried to change the recipe to put whole grains in and make it healthier, but still haven't come up with a recipe that can compare to this one. So indulge yourselves and celebrate the harvest with a little white flour! :)

Pie Crust
Ingredients:
1 C. all-purpose white flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 C. ice water
1/2 C. shortening

Mix together flour and salt and place 1/4 cup of this mix in a cup and set aside.

Add 1/2 C. shortening (or butter-flavored shortening) to the remaining flour and cut into small balls with 2 knives or a pastry cutter. Do not handle this with your hands until the very last because the heat from your hands will make the dough tough.

Add the ice water to the mix you set aside and mix it to make a paste. Add this past to the flour and crisco and cut in well.

Flour your breadboard or counter and rolling pin. Form dough into a ball and place on floured cutting board or counter. Tuck the ends under to make a smooth ball. Roll out into a circle. Fold in half and place into your pie pan. Let edges hang over about 1". Cut off the excess dough. Tuck half of the edges under to make neat edges. Pinch to make the edges stand up. Makes 1 pie crust.

Squash Pie Filling

2 C. Squash or Pumpkin puree
2 eggs
3/4 C. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 12-oz. can milk (or 1-1/2 cups)
1 9-inch pie shell

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Mix all ingredients well. Pour into a 9" uncooked pie shell. Bake 425 F for 15 mins, then 350 F for 45 mins. Insert knife between center and side. If it comes out clean it is done. Serve cold garnished with whipped cream if desired.