Autumn Along the Shore . . . and Pumpkin Cravings

Driving home from class the other day I noticed that the grasses along the shore had begun to turn yellow and brown. Here and there, small patches of sumac were becoming a deep crimson. The sky was overcast and the sun only a hint. Luckily, I had my camera along.

It was raining when I got back to town, the kind of rain that comes and goes but nevertheless forces you inside, preferably inside your kitchen where you will make something comforting to eat.

Pumpkin. I wanted pumpkin. When I finally got home, I found a can of pumpkin from last year (still good, it says so on the bottom of the can) and a few other ingredients, including Bisquick. Emboldened by my fellow food bloggers over at My Husband Cooks, who made Tater Tot salads the other day (much to my delight), I bravely included Bisquick in the ingredients.

This is what I made: Crustless Pumpkin Pie

1 cup canned pumpkin
½ cup Bisquick
½ cup fructose
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs

Pre-heat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Transfer to greased pie plate and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes, until pie is firm in the middle and slightly browned at the edges. Serve chilled with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.


The original recipe from Bisquick calls for evaporated milk, but I’ve always used buttermilk. I made this a time or two last year when a local bakery was selling pumpkin custard pies.

Chi-chi? No. Satisfying? You betcha.