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How To Host A Pie Party & Creamy Pumpkin Pie (she: Wendy)

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A little about myself. The She: Wendy I am a Lucky wife and a Mama to 2 wonderful boys. I love family and learning about how different families work and run. I love to bake and cook. It’s how I show my love for others.
When my Sweetheart and I married, we talked about different traditions we would like to start in our budding family. Since I had moved from the West to the East, we decided to host a Pie Party so I could get to know the names and faces since my Sweetheart lived in the East prior to our marriage.
The First Pie Party 2005
The idea was given to us by the Homer family who started their tradition while being stationed in Germany. They invited their neighbors and shared their Thanksgiving pie left-overs. Their party continued and has for 35 plus years, and our family started our tradition. This coming year is our 6th year with the hope of more in the years to come.
Pie Party 2008
Pick a date. We have focused our party at Thanksgiving, but a pie party can be held at any time of the year. We have tried different days before and after Thanksgiving. We like doing it before Thanksgiving as a kind of kick-off for the coming season of parties, food, and family and friends. Then start telling people about the party. The reaction is different every time. We have made up invitations every year. When I gave someone their invitation this year they said, “Oh it’s the pie party! Yum!”
Almond Chocolate Pie
Decide What Type of Party. Decide if you will make all the pies, have a pie potluck, or do Thanksgiving left-overs and what dynamic of people you will have come.
We make around 24 different pies each year. For our gathering, we do say that they don’t need to bring a pie, and there is no need to go and buy a pie at the store. If they want to show off their culinary skills, we invite them to bring a pie only if they wish. We have had a lot of different wonderful additions brought to the pie party.
A pie potluck will bring all sorts of goodness to the table. One time a lady brought instead of a sweet pie a chicken pot pie. It was devoured.
Tell your friends to save their left-overs and gather on the Friday or Saturday after Thanksgiving to share the calories.
We invited families and have lots of children running around for our party. If you want an adult only then it is fun too!
Frozen Raspberry Pie
Gather Recipes and Experiment. We have just started to gather recipes and try them. We have our favorites of course, like Peanut Butter Mousse Pie, Key Lime Pie, and Cinnamon Crumble Apple Pie. These tend to be staples around our home. My Grandma collected recipes – all kinds of recipes. I have started to go through the recipes and have found some interesting pie recipes like Green Pie, Funeral Pie made with raisins or Soda Cracker Pie served with whipping cream.
I have started to experiment with different recipes to see how it works best for us. Like I will replace the evaporated milk in pumpkin pie for a flavored coffee creamer. It adds a little flavor and compliments the pie wonderfully.
Key Lime Pie
The Party. Label your different pies so people know what they are. Also take out one piece of the pie to start it off. People seem shy to take the first piece. With the last piece put it on a plate so that it will get eaten. Our first year, we had one piece of pie left in every tin because no one wanted to take the last piece.
Happy Party Goer
Clean Up. If you aren’t having a left-overs party and don’t want to store the extra pie, have throw away pie tins that people can take home with a little treat for later. Another option is to take the pies to the local firehouse and let the firemen and EMTs eat the last bit of pie. They get pretty excited for the treat! (We belong to a food co-op and if there is an abandoned baskets it is donated to the firehouse. They are always excited to see us come!)
Fresh Berry Cream Puff Pie
Evaluate. Talk about what went well and what you would change or if you would ever do it again.
Here is a yummy recipe…..
Creamy Pumpkin Pie
Print

Gingersnap Pie Crust

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon dry ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted cold butter
  • 1 tablespoon molasses
  • 1 tablespoon ice cold water

Instructions

  1. Mix dry ingredients together.
  2. Cut butter into 1/2 inch sections. Cut into dry ingredients until it resembles cornmeal.
  3. Mix together molasses and water. Add water/molasses to mixture in sprinkles at a time until the dough holds together without being wet or sticky.
  4. Roll out and place in pie tin and refrigerate for an hour.
  5. Bake according to pie recipe.
Gingersnap Pie Crust
Print

Gingersnap Pie Crust

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon dry ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted cold butter
  • 1 tablespoon molasses
  • 1 tablespoon ice cold water

Instructions

  1. Mix dry ingredients together.
  2. Cut butter into 1/2 inch sections. Cut into dry ingredients until it resembles cornmeal.
  3. Mix together molasses and water. Add water/molasses to mixture in sprinkles at a time until the dough holds together without being wet or sticky.
  4. Roll out and place in pie tin and refrigerate for an hour.
  5. Bake according to pie recipe.
Have fun!
~ Wendy

Comments

  6. Love it! For several years I have had a pie party on March 14, as 3.14 is pi. I promise I’m not a total math geek, but I will look for any occasion to have a party. I find at least one random and obscure holiday each month. One of my favorites is international talk like a pirate day on Sept 19. I’m also a fan of national pancake day on Feb 23. Thanks for the great pie (pi) party ideas and the delicious looking recipes!

    Reply

  8. I love a good reason to party and I love a good pie party! I am going to host one coming up right after thanksgiving and I am excited. Thanks for some great ideas!

    Reply

  10. I just had a pie party! Although yours looks nice and cozy inside when I had to brave the undercover at the park in the rain with mine. All the pies look awesome!

    Reply

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