BETTE MacDONALD'S PUMPKIN PIE

(Use small, cooking/sugar pumpkins NOT field pumpkins.)

To cook pumpkin --

Preheat oven to 350° F.
Cut pumpkins in half, scoop out seeds and loose strings from the center.
Bake in oven on cookie sheet at 350° F. for 1 hour or more.
Test with fork -- peel off outer shell and get rid of the outer strings.
Chop and mash. Can beat in KitchenAid mixer or use food processor if you have one.

If you cannot get sugar pumpkins, use canned pumpkin or canned squash.  Flesh of field pumpkins is light in color and very stringy, noticeable when you cut them in half; so do not even waste your time baking them.

To make pie --

Preheat oven to 425° F.

Combine in mixing bowl:

1   14 1/2 oz. can of pumpkin
            OR 2 cups fresh, mashed pumpkin
1 tablespoon cornstarch (or flour)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (ground)
1/2 teaspoon ginger (powdered)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (ground)
1/2 teaspoon  salt
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 eggs, beaten 

Mix above ingredients well and pour into an unbaked pie shell.

Bake at 425° F. for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350° F.. and cook until it looks as though it is going to set but is still a bit shaky in the center (about one hour). Use caution; if it comes out of the oven solid in center, the pie will be dry after it cools.  

This recipe has been kitchen tested many, many times.