Nanette’s Turtle Pumpkin Pie

This is one of my favorite pictures of Nanette, my mother-in-law; but I don’t think of her as an in-law,  she is simply my other mother.  My life has been blessed with her love for me and her kindness to me for thirty-five years.  One time in particular stands out. We had been living in married student housing, and in order to get our cleaning deposit back, we needed to leave the apartment clean. With three small children, and the chaos of trying to get everything packed for a move,  I was at the end of my limit, physically, mentally, and emotionally.  And we had just gotten started on the cleaning. She arrived, rolled up her sleeves, and went to work.  And never said a word about how dirty the tracks of the windows were, or how many cobwebs were in the storage closet, or how many crumbs were under the table, and how much crayon was on the wall.  She simply helped me clean, and made it fun.  And that kind of thing is typical for her.  She is an amazing woman, and I love her!

My kids always loved to go to Grandma Nanette’s house she was always interested in knowing what they were up to, she loved to play games with them, and because her cookie jar was always full.  And, she’s a good cook, too. She has shared a number of recipes with me through the years, and I will be sure to share them with you, starting with this one.

Turtle Pumpkin Pie

1/4 c. plus 2 tbsp caramel ice cream topping divided
I graham cracker pie crust
1/2 c. plus 3 tbsp pecan pieces
1 c. cold milk
2 pkg (3/4 oz each) vanilla instant pudding
1 c. canned pumpkin puree
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tub (8 oz) whipped topping; thawed; divided

POUR 1/4 c. caramel topping into crust; Sprinkle with 1/2 c. pecans.

BEAT milk, pudding mixes, pumpkin, and spices with whisk until blended; Stir in 1 1/2 c. whipped topping. Spread into crust.

REFRIGERATE at least one hour. Top with remaining whipped topping, caramel topping, and pecans just before serving. Makes 10 servings.