I am thankful for...PIE!

On this thanksgiving when everyone is thinking about what they are thankful for, I can't help but think about how thankful I am for everyone who is around me on this wonderful day.  I have spent the morning with my family and boyfriend doing what I love to do best, bake!

My mom has be slaving away making more vegetables than I have ever seen in one setting.  We are going to my sister's for Thanksgiving Dinner.  I am extremely excited because I have one HUGE family and EVERYONE is going to be there tonight.  Seriously, she is entertaining no less than 32 people! My mom is making Bourbon Glazed Carrots and Fresh Green Beans Parmesan (for recipes just shoot me a comment and I'll get those to you).

When I was approached with the opportunity to contribute to this feast tonight, I thought long and hard about what could be special enough for Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving is all about food! You have a lot to live up to if you are cooking.  I found this wonderful recipe for a Butternut Squash pie from Une Gamine dans la Cuisine.  However, there were some things that I wanted to get creative with.  So here it goes: Butternut Squash Pie (Jodie style!).

First, I found a recipe for pie-crust without any shortening (requested my Mom, thank you for keeping me healthy).  This crust is mostly whole wheat and has NO shortening, plus it was easy to make, and amazing to eat!

Pie Crust:

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup ice water
1 egg
1 pinch of cinnamon (I love cinnamon)
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (frozen)

Directions:

Grated Butter!

1. Take butter out of freeze and grate the butter.  Place grated butter into a bowl and stick back in freezer (this is the coolest trick I have discovered thus far, it makes mixing the butter in a piece of cake (or pie :)) and the colder the butter the better!)
2. Mix flours, salt, and cinnamon together.  I did this in an electric mixer on low speed.
3. Wisk egg right into the ice water.
4. Next, get that butter out of the freezer and add to the bowl. It is helpful to add the butter in spoonfuls to allow it to clump up in the bowl.  Continue to mix on low speed.
5. Then, add the ice water/egg mixture.  Mix on low speed.  If the texture is too dry add in a tsp or two of water.
6. Clump up the dough and divide into two disks.  Wrap disks tightly and place in refrigerator for later. I left them in the fridge overnight.

Butternut Squash Pie

 Ingredients: 
1 1/4 pounds of cubed butternut squash, ready to cook
2 ripe pears, peeled/cored and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup of craisins
1/4 tsp pure almond extract
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Grated zest of 1/2 orange
2 tbsp fresh orange juice
1/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
sugar (for sprinkling over the pie crust)




Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and place oven rack in lower 1/3 of the oven.
2. Roll out both disks of pie dough into 11-inch circles.  Lighly flour a clean surface and roll out the dough.  Place one into the pie pan and place other on a plate. Place both into the fridge until you are ready for them.

3. Cook squash in microwave for about 6-8 minutes or until you can stick a fork through the pieces.
Mix squash and the rest of the ingredients in a mixer on low speed.  Sugar should melt, and squash should get slightly mashed.

4. Get the pie crusts out of the fridge and add the filling to the dish.  Trim the edges and brush water along the edges.  Place other part of crust over the top of the pie and trim/press the edges together.  Cut a circle in the center of the pie and 4 1-inch slits through the top.  Using a fork press edges together.  Next, brush water over the top and sprinkle with sugar.  If you want, decorate the top by using the extra dough to cut out fun shapes (I did flowers!)

5. Place pie into preheated oven on a rack about 1/3 from the bottom.  Back for 55-60 min.  After 30 min or so check on the pie.  If the edges are starting to burn, place a foil tent over the pie and continue to cook. I checked after 40 minutes and my edges were already a little burnt :(, you should be fine if you check earlier.
6. Serve same day or tightly cover and refrigerate overnight.

Butternut Squash Pie

Enjoy :)