(Family Features) - Thanksgiving is just not complete without a pumpkin pie-it's the most treasured tradition on my holiday table. Amidst the flurry of activity on Thanksgiving morning, I'm glad that my pumpkin pies are make-ahead easy, desserts just waiting to delight us.
It's hard to top the traditional Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pie recipe, which has been on the label for over 50 years. This pumpkin custard has the perfect creamy taste created by the blend of pumpkin and evaporated milk and allows the time-honored spice blend to come through. For a cool twist on tradition, Easy Pumpkin Cream Pie is an easy, luscious pie with the flavors of the season in a cool, creamy dessert.
Make your holiday table its festive best with my top pie tips:
- Plan to make your crust ahead of time. Before rolling out, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Remove dough from your refrigerator when you start to make pie filling.
- Practice "mise en place"-measure everything for your pies and have them at hand before starting to bake.
- If you're a seasoned pie baker, start a sweet tradition by baking pumpkin pies with younger family members. They'll treasure your baking tips and ensure the family's pie heritage.
- Pies generally serve 8. But do as I do-make and serve more than one kind of pie-and you'll find everyone wants a sliver of each! So you can "stretch" a pie further that way.
- Remember that "pie tomorrow"-leftover-is always welcome!
Novice pie baker? Learn to make a crust like a pro and turn out a pie-to-be-proud-of by watching videos for step-by-step guidance at www.VeryBestBaking.com
Give Thanks for Pie Video
Thanksgiving is just not complete without a pumpkin pie—it’s the most treasured tradition on the holiday table.
Jenny Harper is Consumer Test Kitchen Project Manager for the Nestlé Test Kitchens and VeryBestBaking.com.