Inspired By A Can

Okay readers, you may have to hang in there with me tonight. I am not feeling to good I want to go bed but it's one of those things where I can't sleep. So I decided to take some time for myself to write and relax. I lit a candle, changed into my jammies and have slow music on Paandora. See, I am feeling better already!

Yesterday was great day and Kara was being so good that I decided we would cook together! Now that is something we had not tried until yesterday so I was taking a big risk. I knew that we would most likely end up in disaster. I was pleasantly surprised though and we only had 2 incidents that involved tears. She doesn't really understand the whole taking turns thing yet.

So by now you must be wondering what we made. I started out looking for ingredients for dinner but then I found a can of pumpkin. I turned it around and found that I had all I needed to make a pie! Pumpkin Pie is one of Josh's favorite foods. I don't really like it but because I was feeling so good I thought I would give it a shot. And since he was away at class I thought it would be a good way to surprise him. So the following is my adventure in pie making and my review of the recipe, and I may have to throw in some pictures too!

 This is where it all started. I just followed the recipe on the can.

3/4 c. Sugar
1/2 t. Salt
2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15oz.) pumpkin
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
1 UNBAKED deep dish pie crust

First, get your handy helper. Mine happens to be a cute blonde almost 2 years old.

















Then, in a bowl blend together all of the dry ingerdients. I wouldn't do this in a mixer because I think that the stuff in the bottom never mixes with the rest. And besides, when you have an extra pair of hands it's more fun to do things the old fashoined way.

Then, beat the eggs in a large bowl. (Something big enough for all of the ingredients in the final step.)

Blend the dry ingredients with the eggs then add the can of pumpkin. Finally, add the can of evaporated milk and stir gently until everything is mixed well.

Doesn't Kara look like such a good helper? I kindly edited out the pictures when she is screaming and crying when I have to help her, or switch out the bowls.

Anyways, the final step is to put the mixture in the pie crust. I will tell you that we really flubbed up this  step. I was in a hurry and overflowed the pie, resulting in a very burnt crust in the end. Hense, no final pictures.

Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees. Then turn down the oven to 350 and bake the pie for about 50 minutes or until a inserted butter knife comes out clear. One tip, I put the pie on a cookie sheet to help me with the transfers.

Like I said earlier this was an adventure! I normally let my mom make the pies that way I don't have a whole one at home, I really don't like pumpkin pie. But according to my husband who I really can depend on for a honest opinion, this pie was great! Kara seemed to like it too, all of it but the really burnt crust, sigh.....


So what did you think? Do you like to bake with your kids in the kitchen? What do you do when you want to surprise someone you love? Do you have a better version that may make me like pumkin pie? Leave your thoughts below, I can't wait to hear from you!