Pumpkin Chiffon Pie with Oatmeal Nut Crust

Crust

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 2/3 cup minced walnuts
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

1. Toast oats at 350° for 10 minutes
2. Toss oats with sugar, nuts, and melted butter.
3. Press mixture on bottom and sides of 9″ pie plate.
4. Refrigerate crust while making filling.

Filling

• 2 envelopes gelatine
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 teasp. salt
• 2 teasp. pumpkin pie spice (or 1 teasp. cinnamon and 1/2 teasp. each of nutmeg and cloves)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. dark molasses
• 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 lb. pumpkin (about 2 cups, 15 oz. can is fine)
• 3 egg whites
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream, whipped

1. In medium saucepan, combine gelatine, brown sugar, salt and spice; mix well.
2. Add molasses, egg yolks, milk and pumpkin, stirring until well combined.
3. Bring to boiling, stirring.
4. Remove from heat; turn into large bowl.
5. Refrigerate, covered, until firm — 1 1/2 – 2 hours.
6. Beat egg whites until foamy.
7. Add sugar, 2 Tbsp. at a time. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
8. With the same beaters, beat pumpkin mixture until smooth.
9. Fold egg white mixture and whipped cream into pumpkin.
10. Turn into pie shell, mounding high in the center. (If too soft to mound, refrigerate for 10 minutes and try again.)
11. Refrigerate until firm (2 hrs +)

• Garnish with whipped whipped cream and walnut halves (or not).