Home Made Pumpkin Pie - Never Again

Since Dana recently taught me how to make pie crust, I think that I can just about tackle anything in a pie shell. Clearly, there is a learning curve, and I'm about to skid out of control.

I started with a great looking sugar pumpkin that I found at the Stanwood Pumpkin Patch. You know the place - across from the Stanwood Park-n-ride, the one with the really cool pumpkin shed, all of the sunflowers and varied types and sizes of pumpkins and gourds.

I Started out by cutting the pumpking in half, saving the seeds for baking.

Then, I baked the pumpkin halves for the required time. Scooped out and processed the pumpkin meat, adding all of the spices and other ingredients called for. . . .

I then made a great home made crust. I was totally excited . . . this was looking like a great pie and I couldn't wait for it to be done. I was soooo ready to stuff myself with a really huge slice covered in whipping cream . . .

It came out of the oven smelling so great. However, I wasn't so sure about how the filling came out . . . sort of dappled. You know - the store bought pies seem to be more consistent in color, and a bit darker as well. At any rate, I cut just a sliver and piled on a huge portion of whipped cream.

The whipped cream was awesome.

However, the pumpkin pie was the worst tasting mouthful of stringy, squashy, non-pumpkin pie tasting crap I've ever tasted. It was absoultely disgusting and NOT what pumpkin pie should taste like.

I won't be trying THIS again any time soon. In fact, it was so terrible, it almost ruined pumpkin pie for me entirely.

My advise? GO TO COSTCO. They have great pumpkin pies!!