This is our family’s favorite holiday pie, aside from pecan.  The tangy tartness of the prepared mincemeat cuts the rich, creaminess of the pumpkin custard.  A big scoop of freshly-whipped cream is all it takes to make it heaven.

Your ingredients are a can of pumpkin, all the things that it lists for pie, and a jar of mincemeat.  Yes, my “recipe” is taken almost straight from the label of the pumpkin can!  Given the complexity of Thanksgiving on a sailboat I also used store-bought crusts (go for deep-dish) though Caroline has given you some lovely crust recipes elsewhere on the site.

My grocery carries Robertson’s mincemeat and it is lovely.  I used about 2/3 of the jar for two pies.  My favorite way to use up the rest is to plop a spoonful into each muffin cup before baking bran muffins.  Mincemeat is essentially apples, raisins and spices in a chutney-like syrup.

Put about an inch of mincemeat in the bottom of each pie crust (the 15oz can of pumpkin will make enough custard for 2 pies, and most crusts are sold in pairs…so go for it and eat leftovers for breakfast!)

Prepare the pumpkin custard according to the directions on the label, and distribute between the two pies.  It should just fill both.  Bake per instructions on the label–about 10 minutes in a hot, 400+ degree oven, then down to 350 for another 50 minutes or so.

Slice and admire while you get your strongest crew on whipping the cream.  With a sweet recipe like this I don’t add sugar to the cream; at most, just a dash of vanilla.  Hand-whipping with a whisk is hard work and your diners might get impatient, as mine did.  In which case a pool of partially whipped cream under the pie works just as well as a dollop on top!