When we went to the Lexington Farmer's market to purchase pumpkins for this Thanksgiving desert, a farmer told us that this time of year, squash will be sweeter and more delectable in a pie than pumpkin will. So for this pie, we used "Blue Hubbard Squash" as well as "Long Island Cheese Pumpkin" + pumpkin spice instead! (This friendly farmer was right -- the pie was a hit!)
Our recipe was inspired by this Pillsbury recipe: https://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/easiest-ever-pumpkin-pie/5793eb83-dca1-45e0-96e1-7f73af9e282f
Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups pureed pumpkin
1 1/4 cups evaporated milk or half and half
2 eggs, beaten
1 Pillsbury™ Pet-Ritz® frozen deep-dish pie crust
Servings 8
Steps
1. Heat oven to 425°F. In large bowl, mix filling ingredients. Pour into pie crust.
2. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F; bake 40 to 50 minutes longer or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.
Cool 2 hours. Serve or refrigerate until serving time.
About the Squash:
Blue Hubbard Squash
This squash is fairly large (can range from 15-40 lbs!) with a blue hue outside and a golden-yellow inside! With a smooth and slightly nutty-tasting inside, it's a great substitute for recipes that call for pumpkin, butternut squash, or sweet potatoes. Beware: the Blue Hubbard has a very thick skin, so when prepping to cook, the best way to crack it open is to throw it on the ground or puncture it with a fork all over and soften it in the oven before cutting into it (our method). Once you're in, remove the seeds (these can be saved to be roasted life pumpkin seeds!) and cut into smaller pieces. Roast the pieces in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes or until soft! After, scoop out the flesh and add to a food processor or mash (as if you were making mashed potatoes) for a puree!
Long Island Cheese Pumpkin:
Though this gourd is called a pumpkin, it's technically still a squash! An heirloom of Long Island and named after it's wheel-of-cheese shape, the Long Island Cheese Pumpkin is in season during the late fall and winter. It is relatively smooth and buff colored on the outside and deliciously sweet on the inside, which makes it a great choice for a main pie ingredient! The instructions for prepping this squash are similar to any other of its kind. Cut into quarters or smaller and remove the seeds. Roast in the oven until soft. Scoop out the flesh and mash into a puree!
Did you know? Pumpkins are known for containing a significant source of anti-oxidants, which have benefits for your eyes and skin! They also contain more than 1/4 the recommended amount of vitamin A and potassium. What's more, one cup of the Long Island Cheese pumpkin contains less than 25 calories!