During the October month we get ready for Halloween, and with that, Carving out our favorite
Pumpkin face. Have you ever thought of just how we came to have carved Pumpkins? I did a little research and this is what I have
learned. To follow is a Recipe for Fresh Pumpkin Pie when you are done Carving the Pumpkin. Hope you enjoy.
The Irish brought the tradition of the Jack O' Lantern to America. But the original Jack O' Lantern was not a
Pumpkin. The Jack O' Lantern legend goes back hundreds of years in Irish history. As the story goes, Stingy Jack was a miserable, old drunk who liked to play
tricks on everyone: family, friends, his mother, and even the
devil himself. One day, he tricked the devil into climbing up an apple tree. Once the
devil climbed up the apple tree, Stingy Jack hurriedly placed crosses around the trunk of the tree. The
devil was then unable to get down out of the tree. Stingy Jack made the devil promise him not to take his soul when he died. Once the
devil promised not to take his soul, Stingy Jack removed the crosses and let the devil climb down.
Many years later, when Jack finally died, he went to the pearly gates of Heaven and was told by Saint Peter that he was too mean and too cruel and had led a miserable and worthless
life on earth. He was not allowed to enter heaven. He then went down to
hell and the devil. The devil kept his promise and would not allow him to enter
hell. Now Jack was scared and had nowhere to go but to wander about forever in the darkness between heaven and hell. He asked the
devil how he could leave as there was no light. The devil tossed him an ember from the flames of
hell to help him light his way. Jack placed the ember in a hollowed out turnip, one of his favorite foods which he always carried around with him whenever he could steal one.
For that day onward, Stingy Jack roamed the earth without a resting place, lighting his way as he went with his "Jack O' Lantern".
On All Hallow's Eve, the Irish hollowed out turnips, rutabagas, gourds, potatoes and beets. They placed a light in them to ward off evil spirits and keep Stingy Jack away.
These were the original Jack O' Lanterns. In the 1800's a couple of waves of Irish immigrants came to America. The Irish immigrants quickly discovered that Pumpkins were bigger
and easier to carve out. So they used Pumpkins for Jack O' Lanterns instead.
INGREDIENTS
-
2 cup freshly prepared Pumpkin
-
1 1/2 cup evaporated milk, undiluted
-
1/4 cup brown sugar
-
1/2 cup white sugar
-
1/2 teaspoon of salt
-
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
-
1/2 teaspoon ginger
-
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or allspice
-
1/8 teaspoon cloves
-
2 eggs, beaten slightly
DIRECTIONS
| 1. |
For the Pie crust, you can
make your own or just use the easy frozen Pie crust, it is up to you. |
| 2. |
Use small to medium size
Pumpkins. Clean and slice meat from the rind. Cut Pumpkin into squares and
bake in a covered 4.5 liter (or larger) dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 30
minutes or until Pumpkin is very tender. |
| 3. |
Remove and put immediately into
a blender and make puree. |
| 4. |
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. |
| 5. |
Mix well 2 cups fresh Pumpkin
with remaining ingredients. |
| 6. |
Pour into Pie shell. Bake 15
minutes at 425 degrees. |
| 7. |
Reduce heat to 350 degrees.
Bake another 45 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean. |
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