SQUASH PEANUT CRUNCH PIE

This is another of the old yellowed clippings from my late mother's recipe boxes.  This was in the early 1980s stash.

Pastry for a 9-inch crust
6 tbsp butter, divided
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp packed light brown sugar, divided
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup cooked mashed winter squash
1 3/4 cups milk
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chopped peanuts
whipped cream for garnish
ground nutmeg for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Fit pastry into a 9-inch pie pan.  Prick bottom and sides of pie crust and bake for 10 minutes; set aside to cool.

In a medium mixer bowl cream 4 tablespoons of the butter with 1/2 cup of the brown sugar and the pumpkin pie spice.  Add the eggs and mix together well.  Blend in the sour cream.  Gradually blend in the squash and the milk.  Add the salt and vanilla extract, mixing well.  Pour filling into the prepared pie crust.  Bake the pie for 15 minutes then remove from the oven.

While pie bakes, melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan.  Stir in the remaining brown sugar and cook, stirring, over low heat until the brown sugar is dissolved.  Remove mixture from the heat; add the peanuts and still to coat well.  Spoon the peanuts over the pie filling.

Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees and return the pie to the oven.  Bake about another 40 minutes or until a butter knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Set on a wire rack to cool completely before cutting to serve.  Top each slice with whipped cream and sprinkle with nutmeg.

Note: May use freshly cooked squash or frozen mashed squash that has been thawed.

free clipart