Pumpkin Pie with Leaf Crust

I am NOT a pie baker.  I make a good cake, really good cookies, and usually can follow a recipe with a positive result.  However, pies (especially the crust) are simply not my forte.  Imagine my dismay when my youngest son (aka The Teen) requests nothing more for Thanksgiving Dinner than... a pumpkin pie.

Now, I CAN make the inside ingredients work together...it's the crust that is the problem.  I just suck at rolled pie crust.  I think I overwork it.  I'm really pretty sure I overwork it.  I just avoid pie to avoid the problem.  If it doesn't have a graham cracker crust or something similar...it ain't happening in this house.

I begged to make a pumpkin cheesecake.  I made lovely sugar cookies filled with pumpkin pie spice.  I made chewy homemade chocolate chunk cookies.  No go.  He wanted a pie.

I admit to cheating.  I bought a Pillsbury refrigerated unroll-and-fill pie crust.  I used the Libby's canned pumpkin and followed their recipe exactly.  However, I did want to kick it up a bit to cover the fact that I cheated!  So, when in doubt - go to YouTube   I found a few videos that inspired me, so I made leaves from the second crust in the box.  About 26 leaves.

I cut them with a small leaf cutter and then used the back of a sharp knife to create "veins" in the leaves.  Placing them, overlapping, on the edge of the crust, gently pressing down to attach, they made a very attractive border.  Finished with a brushed on egg wash of beaten whole egg and water, which made for a nicely browned crust. (although they browned rapidly and I had to use a pie shield for the last half of baking).

I filled the crust and baked.

Half way through, I added a pumpkin cut-out somewhat unsuccessfully.  It would have been better to have baked it separately and then added it as final decoration.  It sank a bit and didn't brown up as well as the rest of the crust.

All in all, though, everyone said it was a good pie.  I feel a bit redeemed in the pie department.  Who knows what I will try next???  Hmmm, I'll probably go back to decorating cookies :-)

Bon Appetit, Y'all!