First lesson learned: You can't use graham cracker crusts for pumpkin pie.

Upon closer inspection, it reads (IN BIG LETTERS, mind you) "Ready Crust".

So what happens when you try to bake pumpkin pies in graham cracker crust pie shells? THEY BURN! I had a kitchen full of smoke after just 15 minutes and you're supposed to bake NORMAL pumpkin pies for 40-50 minutes. I know. I know... Everyone out there is saying, "Well Duh! OF COURSE you can't use graham cracker shells for pumpkin pies!" Oh, but they sounded so gooooood....

I don't even know if you can buy ready-made DOUGH pie shells around here. I've never seen then. And now it's too late to find them, go up to Moncloa to buy more pumpkin pie mix, and bake it before dinner.

OHHHH....

So that's ONE of my meal items gone-and-ruined. I wonder which one is next.... ARGH!!

By the way, I told a Spanish woman friend of mine about MASHING the potatoes and she said, "What? Why don't you just buy the potato flakes!?" Hmmm.... I walked throughout the neighborhood today and couldn't for the life of me find a potato masher! Maybe I'll just use my fist to vent some of my frustration. hehehe...

Saludos, MadridMan