Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients
* 1 1/2 pints vanilla ice cream, softened
* 3 eggs
* 1 3/4 cups pumpkin puree
* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 2 (9 inch) unbaked pie shells

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place ice cream near the warm oven to soften. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs. Stir in the pumpkin puree, sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Mix in soft ice cream until smooth. Pour filling into two 9 inch pie shells. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F, and bake an additional 30 to 40 minutes, or until filling is set.

Note
To use fresh pumpkin, preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Wash, and halve pie pumpkin(s). Scoop out seeds. Place pumpkin halves cut side down in baking pan. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until pumpkins are soft to the touch. Remove from oven, and let cool. Scrape out pumpkin meat, and puree in food processor or blender. (This can be done several weeks in advance and the puree stored in the freezer.)

Sugar Cookies - ideal for cookie cutters

2 c. sugar
1 c. butter
1 c. milk
2 eggs
7 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. b.s.
4 tsp. b.p.
2 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 375-400 degrees
(it just depends on the oven — experiment)
Roll out to about 1/4 inch thick on floured surface.
Bake for 5-6 minutes (on greased cookie sheet) until very pale
(do not overcook — this also takes some experimenting).

Here is the buttercream frosting recipe:

3 c. powdered sugar
1 c. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
Beat with electric mixer for approx. 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.