Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Giving Thanks & Davis Family Pumpkin Pie

There are days where I can just hear the sound of my voice like it is nails on a chalkboard. I'm tired. I don't want to go to work. I ate too much. My body is sore. My apartment is a mess. The list goes on. You get the idea, right?
I imagine you may be like this too. You are often considering the possibility that if you just had one more thing or one less responsibility, that you may be happy. If you got into your reach school or finally moved to your dream city all of your wants would be met.

You're wrong. You really are. When I came to Boston, I just knew it would be a fresh start. A time to redefine myself. To do new things. To meet different people. To grow.

A few weeks into my move I began to realize: Life was still challenging, I still get really sad from time to time, I still get into fights with people, I still didn't have my dream job, I still haven't made up with old friends, I still eat too much ice cream after dinner, I still don't have my perfect wardrobe, I still haven't found a way to do things I want to do...and then, it hit me.

We are never satisfied. We always want more and better and bigger. We want perfection and our own ideology. We want the comfort of a best friend and the excitement of a crowd. We want the newest version. Want. Want. Want. And seldom, do we give thanks. I mean really give thanks. So I challenge you to change your thoughts.

You are lucky you have a job to complain about, a body that is healthy enough to be sore from exercise, a schedule that is busy from leisure activities, friends and family you care enough to fight with, a roof over your head, the clothes on your back and so much more.

And if all else fails, well, at least you can have your pie and eat it too.

Davis Family Pumpkin Pie
Refrigerated Pastry Pie Crust
2 eggs
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tbsp of white sugar (just for variety, we say)
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (and a dash for love)
1/2 tsp of salt (but a little less because we're watching our sodium, says Dad)
1/2 tsp cinnamon (plus a dash for tradition)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup maple syrup (and an extra tablespoon for good measure)
1.5 cups pumpkin (that's almost all of your 15 oz can)
1 cup evaporated milk

Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp powdered sugar

1. Heat oven to 425. Prepare your pastry pie crust.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs slightly; Mix in remaining ingredients in order and pour into pastry lined pan.
3. Cover the edge of your crust with a 2-to-3 inch strip of aluminum foil to prevent excess browning. Bake 45-50 minutes or until knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool.
1. Whip cream in a COLD mixing bowl until just before stiff peaks form. Add vanilla and sugar and whip until stiff peaks form. Serve alongside pie.

2 comments:

Taylor said...

Love this post :) You are so so right about it all...happy thanksgiving!!

Belle said...

i love pumpkin pie but its not such a big thing in the UK. we made pumkpin cheesecake and it was delicious!!