Easy as Pie

This is the pumpkin pie I recently made for my sons' school Election Day bake sale. I first saw a pie "decorated" like this in last year's Williams-Sonoma catalog and thought -- hey -- I can do this. It's actually very simple and takes no longer than making a pie normally would. While your one-crust pie is baking in the oven, cut shapes from a second crust with cookie cutters. Place your shapes onto a greased baking pan and lightly carve details on them. I like to sprinkle my finished shapes with a little cinnamon sugar.

Here are my tools: cookie cutters for making shapes, a toothpick and small knife for carving details into my cut-outs (veins on leaves, polka-dots on acorn caps). Cutting the shapes and then "drawing" on them is the best part of making this pie for me. I find it fun and relaxing. Once the pie is out of the oven and cooling, bake your cut-outs (keep at the same temp used for the pie) for about 5 minutes.

Let your cut-outs cool and then have fun embellishing your pie. Someday I may attempt the Williams-Sonoma recipe but for now, I like the simplicity of Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pie and a ready-made crust.