My Mother's Christmas Pie

Rich Squash Pie

As a little boy growing up on an Iowa farm I never knew what pumpkin pie was.  My mom who was an avid gardener raised butternut squash and always made squash pie for Christmas and almost every other Sunday! Here's the recipe!

Basic Pastry dough for 9-inch pie shell

1 cup pureed cooked butternut squash

1 cup heavy cream (I always like to use Organic Valley or Horizon brand.  My mom always used cream from the separator room which was a room in our milking barn where a little machine separated the cream from whole milk. 

1 cup sugar

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon mace

Preheat the oven to 425ºF (220ºC). Line a 9-inch pie pan with the pastry dough. Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and beat until smooth and well blended. Pour into the lined pie pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 300ºF (150ºC) and bake for 45-60 minutes more or until the fill is firm.  

To avoid cracking I always take the pie out of the oven just a bit early while there is still a little jiggle in the middle.  😇

I always top this rich pie with a bit of whipped cream. Again I use Organic Valley's heavy whipping cream (eight ounces will do) and whip it with an electric  mixer until fluffy.  I like to keep the cream a bit on the left side of sweet by using just a tablespoon or a bit more of sugar.  

Merry Christmas

This could have been me and my mom.  She was always working and my eyes were always fixed on her.  She taught me how to give and how to live! And I'm missing her today. . .