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By Susan Beehler
Mandan, North Dakota
This is not a cookie recipe, but it is something pretty traditional made in a not-so-traditional way. I bake my pumpkin pies in the microwave. I came across a recipe for a pumpkin pie in one of those old microwave cookbooks they gave back when microwaves were first introduced. I added my changes and that is what I use. I have not baked a pumpkin pie in the oven since. I used this recipe to make several pies for a fundraiser for a church ski trip in 2003, because we had a small window of time to bake, and this helped get it done. The pie has a creamy texture, the crust is not as crispy, and it is super fast when company is coming over.
Recipe
Crust
Use a frozen pie crust in a tin foil pan or frozen dough rolled out. Remove the pie crust from the tin or fold out and place in glass pie dish.
Prick crust. Microwave uncovered on high for 1 minute, then check to make sure it is cooking evenly. Place back in microwave and cook in 1-minute intervals (it can burn, so watch carefully. Do not let it brown). This should not take more than four minutes total. Remove from the microwave. It will not be real golden, but it is baked.
Filling
2 eggs
1, 16-ounce can of pumpkin
1 can sweetened condensed (not evaporated) milk
½ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
Dash of ginger and nutmeg
Pour ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix well. Pour pumpkin mixture into baked crust. Put in microwave uncovered for four minutes on high or until edges just start to set. Remove and stir cooked edges of pie filling into center. Microwave on high for another 6 minutes. Insert toothpick. If it comes out fairly clean, it is done. If not, microwave another 2 to 3 minutes until it passes the toothpick test. Remove and cool.
Top with whipped cream.