Turkey Countdown, Day 8

I know I'm gonna get a stern talkin-to about this as well, but I'm not a huge fan of pumpkin pie. I know, I know...how can this be? I have a gigantic sweet tooth and pretty much love all things pie and cake, but honestly- pumpkin pie was never an essential part of the Ryon Thanksgiving. I don't think my mother has ever made a pumpkin pie. Pumpkin ROLL, yes...and I do like that. Pumpkin bread and pumpkin muffins...check and check. But we always had apple pie and some sort of cake- never the P.P.

However, I realize that almost every other red-blooded American NEEDS pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, and truth be told, I'm in charge of the PP this year. My mother is making some sort of fabulous chocolate cake, but my sister-in-law requested the pumpkin pie. So it's show time.

Here is the recipe I'm making:

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 (3 3/4-ounce) package cook-and-serve vanilla pudding
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup coarsely crushed gingersnaps
3/4 cup chopped pecans
Graham cracker pie crust, recipe follows
Gingersnap crumbs, for garnish
Whipped cream, for garnish

In a medium saucepan, combine spice and pudding mix and cook as directed, substituting half-and-half for liquid. Remove mixture from heat and stir in pumpkin. Cover surface with plastic wrap and let stand for about 1 1/2 hours, until nearly room temperature.

Stir gently when cool. Whip cream. Fold gingersnaps and whipped cream into pudding mixture. Spread half of pecans in bottom of crust. Pour pudding mixture over nuts and chill pie for 4 hours. Sprinkle with remaining pecans and garnish with gingersnap crumbs and whipped cream.

Graham Cracker Pie Crust:
1 1/2 cups (5 ounces) finely ground graham crackers
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt

Stir together crust ingredients and press onto bottom and 1-inch up side of a 8-inch springform pan. Fill right away or chill up to 2 hours.