July and Pumpkin Pie?

Good Evening my blog buddies,
Have you enjoyed your weekend?
I have really done absolutely nothing but bake the aformentioned pies. My plans this weekend have been squashed.
I tried with all my might to get the push mower running, so I could mow the front yard around all the bushes I planted this spring, but it would not start...
Then I decided that I would just use the riding mower and be extra careful, but while I was mowing I noticed that there was an acrid smell in the air and it was coming from my mower...
So, two mowers down and a half mowed yard is what I have. I pulled some weeds and watered the flower beds, but it was so hot I gave up. 
I came inside with the best of intentions, but instead of cleaning.....I baked pies.

I noticed the other day while drooling over Pinterest someone made adorable little pumpkin pies using their muffin tins.
How cute is that?
Being a pie maker myself, I wondered how hard could it be to make these adorable pies?

Over the following week it was constantly on my mind. I cleaned the kitchen and swept the floor and my thoughts were filled with images of baby pies. When I went to the store to pick up some bananas I was reminded again about these little pies when I walked by the frozen pie crusts.  How simple would it be to take your favorite pie crust and cut it into littel circles and place them into a muffin tin?

 Then fill it with your signature pumpkin pie filling and bake. Simple right?

But....would they be delicious?

Yes they are!
I made 6 muffin sized pies and one 8 inch whole pie.
The best part was that my tried and true pie crust came out a winner again when it came to plucking one of these little gems out of the muffin tin, aren't they cute?

Pumpkin Pie

1 cup soy milk
1 1/2 cup pumpkin
Equivilent of 2 eggs, I use ener G
2/3 cup demera sugar
1 heaping tsp. pumpkin pie spice, cause I am lazy like that!

Mix everything together in a medium bowl. Recipe for crust follows.

My favorite pie crust

2 cups AP flour
1 Tsp. salt
2/3 shortening
5 to 7 Tbls. ice water

In a medium bowl place the first 3 ingredients in a bowl, then with a pastry cutter cut in shortening until it resembles small peas, now one at a time add in the ice water. I usually use about 5 tbls. of water. I use a metal spoon when I add the water to form the dough into a ball. Flour your bread board or cabinet. Roll out the dough into a large rectangle and using a large cookie cutter or by hand cut out circles that will fit nicely inside you muffin tin. I used a wide mouth ball jar lid.
When they are all cut, and placed inside the muffin tins, fill with pie filling and bake for about 35 minutes or until the center is set and a knife when inserted comes out clean.

Now these are rustic and I meant for them to be, but you can adorn them with little pastry acorns, leaves or just flute them as you would a normal sized pie. They seem to taste better, like they are daring you to not love them in the heat of the summer, when you should be eating cold berry pies and watermelon. But, I am weird like that. I love fall food in the summer and potato salad in the winter.

What do you eat that is meant for another season?

Until tomorrow,
Viv~