Pumpkin & Peach Pies

My friend Jamie doesn't bake.  She's a great cook, but not a baker.  This year she got volun-told to make pie for Thanksgiving at her parents.  I offered to help her with the pies and it got interesting.  Jaime just wanted pie to take over, she wasn't worried about everything being made from scratch.  We bought Pillsbury Pie Crusts and made the fillings.  Semi-Homemade, right Sandra Lee? 

I've been baking for years...I swear.

So, I make the pumpkin fie filling and pour it into the crust.  The tin pie plate is on a baking sheet.  This is necessary since the tin pie plates don't really give any support.  I put the pie, on its baking sheet, into the oven.  Five minutes into baking the pan pops.  The heat warps it and the pie filling is now pouring out the side of the crust, bypassing the baking sheet and dripping onto the bottom of the oven.  Yeah.  I grab a second baking sheet to catch the drips, burn my potholder while getting a good grip on the first baking sheet, and manage to pull both pans out.  I pour the pie filling back into the bowl and laugh.  I couldn't stop laughing.  I'd never had something like this happen to me.  Granted I use a glass pie plate, but still.

Now what?  We start over.  The pie crust came in a 2 pack and we still had one more crust.  I reformed the new crust in the pan, poured the filling in and started over, using a different baking sheet.  Jamie meanwhile is slicing peaches and telling that this is why she doesn't bake.  I'm still laughing and the absurdity of what happened.  Now that the pumpkin pie is under control, we being to assemble the peach pie.  Everything goes as planned and I even make a "fancy" lattice top for it.  The peach pie goes in and Jamie mentions that she should have bought frozen pies.  Nonsense.  Things got crazy, but it was fun.

45 minutes later, the pies are done.  They rest.  Jamie and I play with Thing 1.  And when we return to the kitchen we have perfect pies.  Woo!  Here's to crazy baking messes with girlfriends and fun Thanksgiving moments. 

Pumpkin Pie

from Libby's

Ingredients:

1 uncooked 9" pie crust

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 - 15oz can Libby's Pumpkin

1 - 12oz can evaporated milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven the 425 degrees F.
2. Mix all ingredients (except pie crust) together in a large bowl until well combined.
3. Pour filling into crust and bake for 15 minutes.
4. Reduce oven heat down to 350 degrees F and bake for another 45 minutes. 
5. Allow pie to rest until set before serving.

Peach Pie

from AllRecipes.com

Submitted by Marcia Kammann

Ingredients:

5 large peaches, pitted and sliced

1/4 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup flour

2 uncooked 9" pie crusts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix butter, flour an sugar together with a fork until crumbs form.
3. Add peaches to pie crust forming a single layer on the bottom of the pan.  Top with crumb mixture.  Repeat layering until all peaches have been used, ending with crumb mixture. 
4. To top pie, cut 1 rolled out pie crust into 1 strips.  Lay down 3 strips across the top of the pie.  Weave 4 more strips through the first 3 to create a lattice top on your pie.  Fold crust edges up over lattice ends and pinch together to secure the strips and form the pie's edge.
5. Bake for 45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.  Allow pie to rest and juices to set before serving.