Thanksgiving Pie Countdown: Extra Smooth Pumpkin Pie

[Photograph: Lauren Weisenthal]

There's nothing worse then gliding through your slice of pie only to hit the bottom and find a soggy layer of mush. Pre-baking your crust is one way to help prevent this problem, another is to decrease the liquid in your filling.

This pie will leave you with crust in tact, thanks to the cream cheese in the filling, which decreases the amount of liquid while imparting an extra creamy texture and slightly tangy flavor. We call that a win-win-win.