Pumpkin Spice Pie & The Jif Giveaway Winner

 

I make pumpkin pie every year but I've never blogged about it. Maybe I feel it's so common it's not worth a post of it's own? Or perhaps I think everyone has their own recipe for it already? Or maybe I just never got a good picture of the pie? I don't really know the answer, but today I'm sharing my version of this pie. 

There's a BBQ joint here in town that sells pumpkin pies around the holidays. No one in my family thinks they're that great except for my brother. He buys them in multiples and eats 2-3 whole pies just by himself. A couple years ago I set out to make him the best pumpkin pie I possibly could. I researched several recipe and combined bits of each to create this one. You can make your own pie crust recipe or use a frozen or refrigerated crust. It's up to you and no one will judge you for choosing one over the other. Today we are simply talking about pumpkin pie filling. 

This pie uses brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and freshly ground black pepper. That's the little surprise ingredient that makes this pie special. It adds an extra bit of spiciness, that you can't quite pinpoint but you know there's something a little different about it. I also like to refrigerate the pumpkin pie filling overnight before baking it. Some chocolate chips cookie recipes call for the same step- it allows all the ingredients to meld together and makes it that much better. If you're short on time you can skip the refrigeration step but if you have the time, try it! This pie is silky and creamy and while it's got some quirky aspects to it, it's very traditional. My brother still likes his store bought pies but I found out he likes them dry and firm and I'm not willing to make dry pie. haha! 

Pumpkin Spice Pie from Lick The Bowl Good

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• 1- 15 oz. can pure pumpkin
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1  1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 1- 12 oz. can evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. 

In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, brown sugar and spices. Whisk the ingredients together together then add the eggs one at a time until just combined. Gradually add the evaporated milk to the pumpkin mixture, stirring to combine.  

Optional Step: Refrigerate the pumpkin pie mixture overnight to intensify the flavors. Otherwise, continue on with the next step. 

Pour the pumpkin pie mixture into a deep dish unbaked pie shell. 

Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes then reduce the oven to 350 degrees F and bake for an additional 45-50 minutes. The pie might be a little jiggly in the center but it will firm up as it cools. 

Place pie on a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Serve at room temperature or chilled. 

The winner of the Jif giveaway is commenter #99 Elle who said: 

"I am incredibly thankful for my family, specifically my Mother who has always supported me and loved me through everything and who has always been my personal cheerleader in life."

Congratulations Elle! Please email me with your address. Thank you all for entering the giveaway.

~Monica 

Almond Butter Pie And A Giveaway!

In honor of my 600th post and my 7th year of blogging at Lick The Bowl Good, I have an awesome giveaway for you today! I received a few jars of Jif Almond and Cashew Butters recently. We had a few snacks incorporating the butters but I was itching to make something with it, so I made pie! In my opinion, pie is perfect any time- it's a casual, comforting dessert. When searching for the right recipe to make, I wanted something easy and something my 3 year old and my 34 year old husband would like. Enter Creamy Almond Butter Pie. 

First there's a crunchy buttery crust, then a toasty, nutty, creamy filling and then it's topped with more whipped topping and a sprinkling of sliced almonds for texture. My husband said this reminded him of an ice box pie and he liked his slightly frozen. Hayden and I liked ours straight from the fridge. If you can't find Jif almond butter, you could certainly use Jif creamy peanut butter. That cream cheese and almond filling is delicious together, though. If you want you could always make a chocolate crust instead of the graham cracker, maybe even add a layer of chocolate ganache in there. Yum!

Creamy Almond Butter Pie adapted from Jif

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Graham Crust: 

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
• 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Almond Butter Filling: 

• 1/2 cup Jif Creamy Almond Butter
• 1- 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
• 1- 8 oz. container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 3 Tablespoons sliced almonds

For The Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Stir in the melted butter until thoroughly blended. Press mixture firmly into a 9-inch pie pan, bringing crumbs evenly up the sides up to the rim.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. While crust is cooling, prepare the filling.

For The Filling: In a large bowl, beat the almond butter, cream cheese and butter until creamy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and almond extracts and blend until combined. Blend in 2/3 of the  whipped topping, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. 

Pour the almond butter filling into the cooled crust. Spread the remaining whipped topping onto the filling. Top with sliced almonds. Chill at least one hour or until pie is firm. Serve chilled. 

I promised a giveaway, so one lucky winner will receive a prize pack from Jif, including:

• Jif Creamy Almond Butter
• Jif Crunchy Almond Butter
• Jif Creamy Cashew Butter
• Jif Crunchy Cashew Butter
• $200 Visa Gift Card
• Jif Note Pad
• Recipe Cards Using Jif Almond and Cashew Butters

To enter, tell me what or who you are thankful for this year. Leave me a comment on this blog. Giveaway open to US residents only. One winner will be chosen this weekend. Please leave your contact info with your comment. One entry per person. 

Thank you for entering and good luck!

Thank you to each and every one of you for encouraging me, supporting me and inspiring me in my blogging over the past 7 years.   I wouldn't be where I am without you. I look forward to choosing recipes, making them, photographing them in just the right light, adding the little details here and there, and sharing them with you. I  feel like you are all my friends sitting at my kitchen table and indulging with me. So thank you  for being you!

Jif Almond and Cashew Butters

I recently received a shipment of New Jif Almond and Cashew Butters. Next to pecans, almonds are my favorite nut so I was super excited to get to try these. I was never a big fan of cashews until about a year ago when a friend gave me some salted cashew brittle, that was simply amazing, and now I can't get enough of the elbow shaped nut! Both flavors come in creamy and crunchy and are simply tasty. 

For snacks, we've had the spreads in sandwiches as well as in smoothies, on raisin toast with banana slices and with Fuji apple wedges. Of course, Hayden licked the almond and cashew butters off the apples and toast and discarded the rest of his snack, he's just in it for the good stuff!

I also used the creamy Jif almond butter and made a creamy, dreamy pie, that I will share with you tomorrow. In the meantime, here are a couple ways to get that delicious spread into your belly. For something different, I highly recommend you grab a jar or two and give them a try.