Holiday Cooking Questions and Answers

My pie recipe calls for pumpkin pie spice and I don't have any. What do I do?

You can make your own pumpkin pie spice by combining 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, 1/4 teaspoon ground mace, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves. Substitute this for 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice.

Can I make my own apple pie spice?

For each 1 teaspoon apple pie spice, substitute 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice, and a dash ground ginger. See also "Ingredient Substitutions."

My pumpkin pie recipe calls for evaporated milk and I don't have any.

You can substitute regular milk in the recipe, but the pie will not be quite as rich.

My recipe calls for a 16-ounce can of pumpkin. I can only find a 15-ounce. Can I use it?

Yes, the 15-ounce can of pumpkin will work fine in recipes calling for a 16-ounce can.

I'd like to try to make my own pumpkin puree from a fresh pumpkin instead of using canned. What do I do?

If you'd like to make your own pumpkin puree, here's how to do it:

Cut a medium pumpkin (about 6 pounds) into 5-inch-square pieces. Remove the seeds and fibrous strings. Arrange the pieces in a single layer, skin side up, in a large, shallow baking pan. Cover with foil. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or untill tender. Scoop the pulp from the rind. Working with part of the pulp at a time, place pulp in a blender container or food processor bowl. Cover and blend or process untill smooth. Place the pumpkin in a cheesecloth-lined strainer, and press out any liquid. Makes about 2 cups.

My recipe for sugared cranberries calls for raw egg whites. Is this safe?

No. Raw or slightly cooked egg whites (or yolks) may harbor harmful bacteria. In place of raw egg whites, substitute pasteurized dried egg whites. They can be found in the baking section of many grocery stores or in specialty food stores. To get beautiful, evenly coated cranberries, place each berry on a toothpick, brush with rehydrated dried egg white and sprinkle with sugar. Let dry on a cooling rack.