Recipe Day

It is getting close to Thanksgiving so I will be posting the recipes over the next few weeks that made our Thanksgiving and Christmas seem like the holidays. I will start with my Grandma Tuttle's Pumpkin Chiffon Pie filling recipe. This calls for uncooked egg whites. I buy the dry egg white packages at Michael's or the grocery story (used for frosting so that is where it usually is). If your eggs have no cracks and you actually wash the egg with soap and water and rinse them well, before using them - you should be safe - if you can't find dried egg whites. Omi always served these in individual pie shells that she molded on the backs of muffin tins. We loved just the filling covered in real whipped cream! I found Omi's recipe left in a book at Grandma's and I will include her notes. She somewhat cooked her egg whites. If you follow her notes you will be safer.

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie Filling

1 Tablespoon or 1 envelope unflavored gelatin 1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/4 cup cold water 1/2 teaspoon allspice

3 large egg yolks 3 large egg whites

1 1/3 cups canned or cooked pumpkin 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/4 cup milk 6 Tablespoons sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar 1-9 inch pie crust

1/2 teaspoon salt Whipping cream

Soften the gelatin in cold water. Combine the egg yolks, pumpkin, milk, brown sugar. salt and spices in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over low heat. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in softened gelatin. Chill until partially set. Beat in the pumpkin mixture until smooth.

Add the cream of tartar to the egg whites. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Add the 6 Tablespoons of sugar, one Tablespoon at a time. Add the pumpkin mixture. Carefully fold into the pumpkin mixture. Pile into the baked shell. Chill until set - about 2 hours. Garnish with real whipped cream.

Notes: Here are Omi's adjustments: She used only 1 1/4 cups pumpkin and upped the milk to 1/2 cup. Then she add 1 teaspoon each of salt, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. She said we like this combination better. Here are her exact notes: "Cook first ingredients in double boiler until thick. Add softened gelatin to thickened filling and stir well. Beat the egg whites until stiff and add 1/2 cup sugar gradually to the mixture until the eggs are fluffy and dry. Fold the egg whites into the hot pumpkin mixture. Pour into a large bowl and keep refrigerated until serving. This will fill 6 individual pie shells or one large shell. Top the pies with whipped cream. Many of my grandchildren like this as a pudding."

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Here is recipe that I started making at Christmas time in North Carolina. They don't last long and I only make one batch because they are so calorie laden.

Miniature Pecan Tarts

Tart Shell

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup flour

1 stick butter

1/8 teaspoon salt

Filling

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 Tablespoon butter, room temperature

2/3 cup pecans, finely chopped

Tart shells: Mix the cream cheese, butter, flour and salt into a ball, blending well (food processor works great for this). Shape into a roll and chill overnight. Cut into 24 pieces. Roll each into a ball. Press ball into a small muffin tin or tart pans. (I spray the pans with non-stick cooking spray because sometimes the filling oozes down the sides and it makes for easier release).

Filling: Combine the sugar, vanilla, butter, egg and salt. Fill each tart shell half full. Fill the shells 3/4 full with pecans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Serve warm or store in a tightly covered container in very cool dry place or in the refrigerator.

Things I am thankful for: promptings of the Spirit, Standard time instead of Daylight Savings Time!, light in the mornings, holidays, anticipating visits with my family.