Pumpkin Pie - With recipe for Pie Crust

Pie Crust   (Preheat oven to 350 degrees.)

• 1-1/2 cups of all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4-teaspoon salt
• 1/2-cup cold Crisco shortening (regular or butter flavor), cut in chunks
• 1 egg, separated (yolk for the pie dough, white for the glaze
• 3 tablespoons ice water, plus more if needed

In food processor, pulse flower, sugar and salt.  All cold shortening in bits and pulse until dough resembles cornmeal.  Add egg yolk and ice water (more if needed); pulse for a second.  Knead dough into ball.  Wrap in plastic, flatten into disc and shill for 30 minutes.  When ready, let soften on counter. Dust counter and rolling pin with flour.  Roll dough into 12-inch circle and lay in greased pan, pressing bottom and edges.  Trim excess dough and freeze for 15 minutes.  Prick pie crust bottom with fork and line with foil.  Fill with dried beans (this keeps the dough flat.)  Bake for 30 minutes.  Remove beans and foil.  Bake 1 minute more.  Beat egg white and 1 tablespoon of ice water.  Brush on bottom and sides.

Filling

• 2 eggs
• 1/2-cup brown sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• pinch salt
• 2 cups canned pumpkin

In large bowl, beat eggs with brown sugar, heavy cream, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.  Stir in canned pumpkin.  Pour in shell.  Bake for 30-40 minutes.  Filling should jiggle slightly.

Serve warm or room temperature with whipped cream.

Source:  Newspaper insert with coupons for Crisco products.  Since we are not very good at making pie crust (so we usually use frozen pie crusts) - we thought the idea with the beans was interesting and we might give it another try making our own crust.