There are so many things to be Thankful for this year…

I’m thankful for my husband and my family.

I’m thankful for having a roof over my head and food in my belly.

    

I’m thankful for return of Tony Romo (Go Cowboys!!!). After all watching the Dallas Cowboys play is a Thanksgiving Day tradition.

Finally, most of all I’m thankful for all of you. I am thankful for your kind words, friendship, and support throughout the year.  Thank you all!

Oh and I’m thankful for pie 🙂 Lot’s and lot’s of Thanksgiving Day PIE.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Homemade Buttermilk Pie

Adapted from Food and Wine Magazine, December 2015

Ingredients:

1 Perfect Pie Crust Recipe (recipe follows). Makes 2 pie crusts.

Pie Filling:

1 1/2 Cups Sugar

1 Tablespoon Four

2 Teaspoons Freshly Grated Nutmeg

1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon

1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

3 Large Eggs, at room temperature

5 Tablespoons Melted Butter

1 Cup Buttermilk, at room temperature

1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

1 Tablespoon Dark Rum

Egg Wash, 1 egg + 1 Tablespoon water

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Roll out the pie dough and carefully fit into a 9 inch pie pan.  Remove the excess dough from the edges and then place the pan in the freezer.  With some of the excess dough cut out little decorative leaves then brush the edges of the chilled pie crust with egg wash and adhere them to the crust.  Brush the tops of the leaves and the entire crust with a little of the remaining egg wash and chill in the freezer for another 15 minutes.

Line the chilled pie with parchment paper or foil and weight down with pie weights or beans.  Blind bake at 425 for 25 minutes.

Then remove the beans and parchment paper (or foil) and bake for another 8-10 minutes until light golden brown. Allow the crust to cool slightly while making the filling.

Reduce oven temperature to 375.

In a large bowl whisk together the sugar, flour, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon.  Whisk the eggs in one at a time.  Then while whisking constantly add in the melted butter followed by the buttermilk, vanilla and rum. Loosely cover the edges of the cooled pie crust with foil. Pour the filling into the warm crust and bake for 15 minutes at 375, then reduce temperature to 350 and bake for 40 more minutes until the custard is set at the edges and still jiggles at the center. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Perfect Pie Crust

 Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten

Copyright 2002, Barefoot Contessa Family Style

Yield: 2 (10-inch) crusts

Ingredients:

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) very cold unsalted butter

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1/3 cup very cold vegetable shortening

6 to 8 tablespoons (about 1/2 cup) ice water

Directions:

Dice the butter and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and shortening. Pulse 8 to 12 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. Dump out on a floured board and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Cut the dough in half. Roll each piece on a well-floured board into a circle, rolling from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough to make sure it doesn’t stick to the board. Fold the dough in half, place in a pie pan, and unfold to fit the pan. Repeat with the top crust or freeze for a later use.