In honor of Thanksgiving, Food Network is getting the entire food community together to celebrate a Virtual Thanksgiving, called The Communal Table, on Wednesday, November 16 at noon EST (that’s today folks!)

The whole food community (chefs, bloggers, writers) is celebrating together and it gives all of us (and you!) a chance to see what all of these creative food obsessed people are bringing to the communal table!
Please see the bottom of the post so that you can check out all of the other participants amazing offerings.

What am I bringing to the Virtual Communal Table you ask? Pie.

I know I posted those adorable mini-pumpkin pies last week, and Sky High Caramel Apple Pie the other day. But I couldn’t help myself, I am back with another pie. Another pumpkin pie even!

But this one has a twist. A creamy, vanilla twist!

I loaded the pumpkin with vanilla bean paste and then slathered it in a high mound of vanilla bean whipped cream.

I will go on record right now and say that this is the best pumpkin pie I have ever had. I have back up too.

(can we also talk about that crust perfection?)

Pete and I ate almost the entire thing in one day- but the few bites we doled out to other people solicited wild responses! I’m not sure how this seemingly small change to my normal pumpkin pie could make such a difference, but it really did. And the even layer of whipped cream in every bite mellowed the spiciness and made the pumpkin filling seem silky and light.

This Pumpkin Vanilla Cream Pie is so worth making for Thanksgiving. I swear it will make you see Pumpkin Pie in a whole new way and everyone will be gushing your praises and there will be people saying things like “I don’t normally even like but pumpkin pie, but…”

Pumpkin Vanilla Bean Cream Pie, serves 10 (unless you are me- then it serves 2)
-½ recipe best pie crust
Pumpkin Vanilla Bean Filling:
-1 15oz can pumpkin puree
-1 cup brown sugar
-1 Tbs Vanilla bean paste
-1 tsp cinnamon
-½ tsp nutmeg
-½ tsp ginger
-½ tsp salt
-1 cup cream
-2 eggs
Whipped Topping:
-2 cups cream, very cold
-2 tsp vanilla bean paste

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2) Prepare the crust in a pie plate. (step by step directions are available here)

3) In a medium sized bowl, combine the pumpkin, sugar, vanilla bean paste, and spices. Mix well.

4) In a smaller bowl, combine the eggs and cream. Beat together with a fork.

5) Add the eggs and cream to the pumpkin mixture and mix until smooth.

(see all those vanilla seeds?!)

6) Pour the filling in to the pie crust.

7) Place the pie on a sheet pan and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes, or until the pie is just set in the middle.

8) Take the pie out and let it cool completely before adding the whipped topping (or it will melt)

9) In a large bowl whip together the cream and the 2tsp vanilla bean paste.

10) Beat until the cream forms stiff peaks and is very fluffy.

11) Spread the whipping cream over the top of the pie (except, not over the crust) and make a tall mound out of it.

12) Slice, serve and enjoy!

HTML Version:

Cocktails, Appetizers, Soups and Salads:

Sweet Life Bake: Pumpkin Margarita

Easy Peasy Organic: Thanksgiving Ginger Cocktail

Dishin and Dishes: Butternut Squash Bruschetta With Sage Pesto

Mooshu Jenne: Green Salad

Two Peas and Their Pod: Maple-Roasted Butternut Squash Apple Salad

Jones is Hungry: Roasted Vegetable Salad

Purple Cook: Pasta and Bean Stew With Tomatoes and Broccoli Rabe

From My Corner of Saratoga: Curried Pumpkin Soup

Mains:

CIA Dropout: Turkey and Stuffles Roulades With Squash Mash

FN Dish: Alton Brown’s Good Eats Roast Turkey

My Angel’s Allergies: Cranberry-Glazed Cornish Hens

Sides:

Cafe Terra Blog: Cranberry Pumpkin Stuffing

Virtually Homemade: Twice-Baked Cheddar and Chive Potatoes

Easy Eats Magazine: Sausage and Dried Cranberry-Walnut Stuffing

The Sensitive Epicure: Oyster Dressing and Gravy

Daily*Dishin: Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes Supreme

What’s Gaby Cooking: Rustic Herb Skillet Stuffing

Family Fresh Cooking: brown butter coconut mashed sweet potatoes

Silvana’s Kitchen: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Mushroom-Rye Stuffing

The Cultural Dish: Cranberry Sauce

Desserts:

I Am Baker: Pumpkin Cake

Heather Christo: Pumpkin Vanilla Cream Pie

And Love It Too: Pumpkin Custard (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

Haute Apple Pie Girls: Double Pumpkin Mini Pies With Candied Pecans

Ladles and Jelly Spoons: Not Your Same Old Pumpkin Pie

Daydreamer Desserts: Cuban Diplomatic Pudding

Thursday Night Dinner: Red Wine Chocolate Cake

Napa Farmhouse 1885: Caramel Apple Pie