Pumpkin Pie

I am so far behind on blog posts, but my computer crashed a few weeks ago and it looked like I might have been without a computer for a while, but my mum very generously bought me a new one for Christmas.

Anyway, this is a Paula Deen recipe and I made this pie for Thanksgiving, it was different from the usual pumpkin pie we like because of the cream cheese, and while it was really good I still think we both preferred our usual custard pumpkin pie.

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 piece pre-made pie dough

Preheat the oven to 350.

Place 1 piece of pre-made pie dough down into a (9-inch) pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. Put the pie shell into the freezer for 1 hour to firm up. Fit a piece of tin foil to cover the inside of the shell completely. Fill the shell up to the edges with pie weights or dried beans (about 2 pounds) and place it in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the foil and pie weights and bake for another 10 minutes or until the crust is dried out and beginning to color.
For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger and beat until incorporated.
Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set.