Can't forget desert. Pumpkin and/or pecan pie is a given...but if you want an option that's different to go with them:
Gingerbread Cream Pie
Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
1-5.1 oz. instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups cold milk
2 tablespoons molasses
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1 1/2 cups heavy cream + 1/4 cup powdered sugar
1-9" blind baked pie shell
Directions:
In a large bowl, whip vanilla pudding with milk. Sit 3 minutes to thicken, then stir in molasses and spices.
In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream with powdered sugar until stiff. Fold one third into pudding mixture and then pour into baked pie shell. Top with remaining cream, sprinkle with a little nutmeg for garnish {optional}. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
The Best French SIlk Pie
This pie is insanely good and can be made a few days before. I double the espresso powder and add about a half shot of Kahlua to the whipped topping to give it a chocolate coffee flavor. It does take about an hour to make the filling, but most of that is waiting for the mixer while adding eggs. Don't try to shorten this step as all that mixer time dissolves the sugar. If you don't dissolve the sugar, the filling will be grainy. Other than time, this pie is super simple to make. Oh yeah, I usually just use a pre-made Oreo crust instead of making my own.
Ingredients:
Crust
20 Oreo cookies, finely crushed (I use chocolate-filled Oreos rather than white-filled, and regular rather than Double-Stuffed)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling
6 ounces dark chocolate, at least 72%, melted (unsweetened baker’s chocolate may be substituted)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups ultrafine sugar, also called ultrafine or baker’s sugar (using granulated sugar could result in graininess; use at your discretion)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso granules, optional but recommended
pinch salt, optional and to taste
4 large eggs, at room temperature
Topping
8 ounces whipped topping (thawed and stirred well, lite okay) or 2 cups freshly whipped cream
3 to 4 ounces dark chocolate (72% or higher) roughly chopped, for sprinkling
Directions:
Crust – Preheat oven to 350F and spray a 9-inch pie dish wish cooking spray; set aside.
Add Oreos to the canister of a food processor and process until finely ground, 1 to 2 minutes on high power; set aside.
In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.
Add melted butter to canister of food processor and process until incorporated, about 30 seconds.
Turn crumbs out into prepared pie dish and using your fingers, hard-pack the mixture to create a crust, making sure to cover sides of pie dish.
Bake for 10 minutes, or until just set. Place on a wire rack to cool.
Filling – In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate, about 1 to 2 minutes on high power. Stop after 1 minute to check and stir. Heat in 15 second increments until chocolate can be stirred smooth; set aside to cool.
To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, sugar, and beat on high power until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, stopping as necessary to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mixture should be very pale, almost white; the lighter and fluffier the better to ensure sugar is well on it’s way to being dissolved and incorporated fully.
Add the vanilla, espresso granules, optional salt, cooled chocolate, and beat on high power until incorporated and mixture is fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, remove paddle attachment, switch to whisk attachment, add 1 egg, and beat for 5 minutes on high power.
Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the second egg, beat for 5 minutes on high power. Repeat process with remaining eggs. Eggs are added 1 at a time, spaced 5 minutes apart, for a total of 20 minutes active whipping time. After 20 minutes, make sure your mixture is smooth, silky, fluffy, with zero traces of graininess. Continue beating until you’re satisfied with the smoothness because this is what your pie will taste like.
Turn mixture out into crust, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula. Cover with plasticwrap and place in fridge for at least 4 hours (overnight is better) for pie to set up fully.
Topping – Add the whipped topping/cream, smoothing it lightly with a spatula. I left a bare margin of 1-inch for visual appeal so you can see the chocolate; cover surface fully if preferred.
Sprinkle evenly with chopped chocolate before slicing and serving. Pie will keep covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.