From Pumpkin Patch to Pumpkin Pie

Our journey from Pumpkin Patch to Pumpkin Pie started a couple of weeks ago.  On a sunny Saturday morning, we went to Miller's Farm in Manotick in search of pumpkins.

We took the wagon to the pumpkin patch to look for the perfect pumpkin.

Although there were lots of great pumpkins in the field, all of the REALLY big ones were already at the store area and we wanted a REALLY big pumpkin!  We came home with a 40 pound pumpkin.

Then it was time to get that pumpkin cleaned out and turned into a Jack-O-Lantern for Halloween.  Once all the guts were removed, it was carved into a scary face, as per Liam's instructions.

As is the case with all good Jack-O-Lanterns, when Halloween is over, so is their life.

 The 40 pound pumpkin turned Jack-O-Lantern was destine to be cut into pieces ...

 ... put in a 350 degree oven ...

... and baked for an hour.

 As if that wasn't enough torture for  poor Jack, he was then peel and chopped into smaller pieces ...

 ... tossed in the food processor ...

... and made in to puree.

And that my friends, is what we used to make a lovely pumpkin pie for dessert!
(And A LOT left over to go in the freezer for future pumpkin goodies!)

Pumpkin Pie Filling

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

1 cup milk

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

Mix all ingredients together and bake at 375 F for 50 minutes.

For a large deep dish pie, double recipe.

Happy Halloween from the cutest little bumble bee ever!

Liam wore his adorable bumble bee costume (Thanks Aunty Danny) to daycare yesterday and of course everyone thought he was adorable! Of course he is too young to understand or even care about Halloween . . . all that matters to him is that everyone is gushing over him! Tonight, we didn't do the trick or treating thing, we did however take some pictures with the pumpkin and go to Grandma's house.

At home, it was just another night. We live on a country road with six houses and no other kids, so just like every other year, we had no trick or treaters. In some ways it is nice, because we don't have to spend the money on candy and listen to the dogs bark like idiots every time someone comes to the door, but it takes the fun out Halloween. We don't even carve a pumpkin anymore. However I am sure that will change next year when Liam is a little older. Maybe next year I will actually get my halloween decorations out of the box that they have been hidden away in for years . . . if I can find the box . . . I should start looking now . . .