What a MIghty Fine Man.

Thanksgiving has been and gone, and it was delightful. I'm big on Thanksgiving and family. In fact, I think I cried more my fist Thanksgiving alone than I did my first Christmas alone!

This year was a good year, lots, if not all of my family and LOTS of food. Food I didn't have to make! Well, except dessert that is. I'll be making pie at Thanksgiving until I'm in my grave. Hopefully!


Sidenote: in my family you it's either pumpkin pie, or pumpkin pumpkin pie. What's the difference? Pumpkin pumpkin pie is actually made with pumpkins. Pumpkin pie is made with any squash except pumpkin. Banana, butternut, acorn. Just some type of winter squash. The weird naming started with making "winter squash pie" and listening to The Boy try to convince a friend that it was totally pumpkin pie, just without the pumpkins. His friend distrusted the lack of orange he was familiar with, and I think he wasn't even sure there WERE other types of squash out there! So as both my babies grew older, if they wanted to know what was in the pie they would ask if it was pumpkin pumpkin pie, or the more usual pumpkin (aka winter squash) pie. There, Sidenote over.

This year I made the best pumpkin pie filling I've ever made. And you know how? Because someone else did the hard stuff. I usually halve the squash and roast it. And even with lots of processing, the texture isn't always perfect. This time, I had a headache on Saturday morning, and while I was trying to get rid of it, The Man (well, I can't call him The Boy now, can I?) peeled, cored, cubed and boiled the squash. I HATE that part of the whole procedure, and by the time I was feeling better it was all over. No, I didn't plan it that way. I don't hate it THAT much; calling in sick to avoid peeling and cubing? Who would do that?

When I was ready to make the pie, I put the now-cooled squash through a food mill. Twice. Once with the large disc, and once with the fine. And then (because I couldn't just leave it at that) when I'd mixed in all the other ingredients I put everything through a triple strainer. Perfection. Creamy pumpkiny spicy goodness.