Pumpkin pie is my Dad's favorite pie. Growing up my Mom would make one for Dad and one for everyone else. I still make the base recipe that my Mom uses quite often but sometimes I need to amp up the pie a bit, check out the substitution listed below.

Crust Ingredients

2 Tbsp Sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup lard (in most stores you can buy Tenderflake lard right next to the shortening). I know it sounds horrible to use lard, but it really makes the best crusts!
6-7 Tbsp Ice cold vodka

Filling Ingredients

2 eggs
3 cups (796 mL) or (1 large can) Pure Pumpkin
1 cup (250 mL) Packed brown sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) Ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp (2 mL) Ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp (1 mL) Ground ginger
1/4 tsp (1 mL) Salt
3/4 cup (175 mL) Heavy Cream

Crust Directions

1. Place dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and cut lard into the dry ingredients
2. Next mix one tablespoon of ice cold water into the dry ingredients at a time until the mixture is unified
3. Chill dough for 15 minutes in refrigerator
4. Roll dough out in a floured surface and place in a pie dish

Filling Directions

5. Beat eggs lightly in medium bowl
6. Add pure pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt - stir until well combined
7. Blend in cream. Pour filling in pie shell
8. Bake at 425F 15 minutes
9. Reduce oven temperature to 350F and continue baking 30-35 minutes longer or until knife inserted in centre comes out clean
10. Cool and serve with whipping cream and vanilla ice cream

You can substitute

• Egg nog for a creamier holiday pie
• 1/2 whipping cream and 1/2 Irish cream liquor (most of the booze bakes off in the oven)