Paula Dean's Pumpkin Pie

(I'm not a big fan of pumpkin pie, but this is really good, and I thought it would be a good one to try with Thanksgiving coming up. I have some leaf cookie cutters, and it's really pretty if you make a little extra pie crust and cut out the leafs and put them on top of your pie when you bake it...next time I'll take a picture.)

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, optional (I just used cinnamon)
1 piece pre-made pie dough(I made it from scratch..pretty easy, and really tasty)
Whipped cream, for topping

Crust: (I just used the recipe off the Crisco container...it makes enough for a bottom and a top crust, so you have enough to make your leafs on the top.)
2c flour
1tsp salt
3/4 stick butter flavored shortening stick
4-8 TBSP ice cold water

Blend flour and salt in mixing bowl. Cut shortening into flour mixture using a pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces remaining. Sprinkle ice water 4 TBSP at a time, and mix gently with a fork. Add more water by the tablespoon until dough holds together. Divide in two, and form into a ball. (You don't want to work it too much or it won't be flaky) Roll out dough 2" past edges of pie pan, and put in pan. Pinch edges to make a boarder.

I baked the crust at 350 for about ten minutes; I didn't use pie weights, and the crust got a little bubbly, but I didn't care enough to use the weights. (I did poke holes in the bottom with a fork before I baked the crust. You can use beans instead of pie weights if you want; you just put tinfoil on the bottom of the crust, and put the beans on top to keep the crust down.

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, if using, and beat until incorporated.

Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.