Family Meal Plan: Perfect Pumpkin Pie in a Mug with Whipped Cream + Pumpkin Spice Latte for One

Perfect Pumpkin Pie in a Mug with Whipped Cream

Happy & Healthy Cooking,

Fun-Da-Mentals Kitchen Skills

• crack :

  to break open or apart a food to get what's inside, like an egg or a coconut.

• crush :

  to put pressure on a food, like a garlic clove, to break the skin and release its flavor; or to pulverize or grind a food, like a cracker, into small particles with your hands, blender, or food processor.

• dip :

  to briefly put a solid food, such as chips, fries, battered fried fish, hot sandwich (French dip), or veggie slices, into a liquid, like beef broth or a thicker sauce, like ketchup, dressing, or a dip to impart moisture and extra flavor to the solid food.

• dollop :

  to add an unspecified blob of food to the top of another food, like dolloping whipped cream on top of a piece of pie.

• juice :

  to extract or squeeze out the juice of a fruit or vegetable, like a lemon, orange, or carrot, often cutting open or peeling the fruit or veggie first to access its flesh.

• measure :

  to calculate the specific amount of an ingredient required using a measuring tool (like measuring cups or spoons).

• microwave :

  to heat or cook food or liquid quickly in a microwave oven, which uses high-frequency electromagnetic waves to generate heat in the food's water molecules.

• mix :

  to thoroughly combine two or more ingredients until uniform in texture.

• shake :

  to rapidly and vigorously move a covered container filled with food up and down and side to side to combine ingredients and create a different consistency, such as shaking whipped cream to make butter.

• slice :

  to cut into thin pieces using a sawing motion with your knife.

• tear :

  to pull or rip apart a food, like basil leaves, into pieces instead of cutting with a knife; cutting breaks cell walls more, so herbs can discolor faster.

• whisk :

  to beat or stir ingredients vigorously with a fork or whisk to mix, blend, or incorporate air.

History of Pumpkin Pie!

• Even though pumpkins originated in the Americas, pumpkin fillings for pie were first made in England sometime after pumpkins were introduced there in the 1500s. 
• So, when the English colonists arrived on the Mayflower, they may have already been familiar with pumpkins, like the Native Americans they encountered. Pumpkin and pumpkin pie may have been served at an early Thanksgiving feast, if not the first.
• Eventually, other pies and tarts, such as apple, pear, and quince, were favored over pumpkin as the colonies flourished and other crops were grown. Today, though, pumpkin pie is the most popular pie for Thanksgiving!
• Pumpkin pie is a custard type of pie with a flaky pie crust. The filling is made with canned or cooked pumpkin purée, eggs, evaporated milk, sugar, salt, and pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, cloves, allspice, ginger, and nutmeg). Whipped cream is a common topping.
• Pumpkin pie is referenced in several songs, such as "Farewell O Fragrant Pumpkin Pie" (from the 1889 opera Leo, the Royal Cadet), "There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays," "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," and "Sleigh Ride."
• The Guinness World Record for the world's largest pumpkin pie went to the New Bremen Giant Pumpkin Growers of New Bremen, Ohio, in September 2010. It weighed 3,699 pounds, and it was 20 feet around!

Let's Learn About Thanksgiving!

• A Thanksgiving holiday is celebrated on various dates in a few countries and cities. It is a national holiday in the United States on the third Thursday in November and Canada on the second Monday in October. The holidays began as a celebration of the harvest and the past year's blessings.
• In the US, the traditional beginnings of the holiday began in 1621 as a three-day celebration to give thanks for the harvest. The Pilgrims living in Plymouth Colony (Massachusetts) were joined by several members of Wampanoag Indians, who may also have brought food with them. Although the Pilgrims did not refer to their feast by name, it is usually called the "first'' Thanksgiving.
• The foods the Pilgrims and Wampanoag ate would have been somewhat different than our traditional Thanksgiving dinners. According to an account written in the journal of William Bradford, the leader of the Plymouth Colony, the Pilgrims had access to cod, bass, and other fish, venison (deer), waterfowl, wild turkeys, and Indian corn (as bread or porridge). Later reports of their crops besides corn may indicate they also had beans, carrots, grains, lettuce, onions, peas, pumpkins, and turnips. 
• Since that "first" Thanksgiving, national proclamations made to celebrate a day of Thanksgiving included ones in 1782 by the US Congress, in 1789 and 1795 by George Washington, in 1798 and 1799 by John Adams, and in 1814 by James Madison. Various states also proclaimed days of Thanksgiving.
• Starting in 1846 and continuing for 17 years, Sarah Josepha Hale, the editor of Godey's Lady's Book magazine, campaigned for a national Thanksgiving holiday to be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. She sent her requests to newspapers and government leaders. 
• Finally, in 1863, during the Civil War, Sarah's editorials moved President Abraham Lincoln to proclaim Thanksgiving a national holiday to give thanks for the nation's general blessings and military successes. Since then, it has been observed every year. 
• In the United States, the modern Thanksgiving dinner typically consists of turkey, dressing or stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole or other vegetables, and pumpkin or other pies. After the feast, families often take walks, watch American football games, go to the movies, play games, put together jigsaw puzzles, or decorate for Christmas. Some families volunteer to serve dinner at homeless shelters. 
• Cooking methods for the Thanksgiving turkey have changed over the years. In addition to roasted, you might be served a turkey that has been deep-fried, smoked, broiled, or grilled.