Pumpkin Pie Cobbler

My Aunt Ginny has always been my favorite. She's my mom's older sister, and maybe that's why I always felt a connection with her. She knows what it's like to be the oldest kid and deal with all that comes along with that. Plus, she was smart. She was first a high school math teacher, then a community college professor. And I always thought she was a genius. She understood math. She was witty. And she was really good at putting my mom in her place.

When I was a kid, I was chubby and loud. I was sassy and grubby. I didn't have any interest in being the cute, quiet, sweet little girl that my sister was--she had the market cornered on those traits anyway. I was smart. I was opinionated. I was a pain in the ass, and I knew it. I made no apologies and embraced what I had to work with.

My Aunt Ginny showed me it was ok--even cool--to be smart. She embraced her intelligence and I looked up to her as a strong, capable, smart and funny role model. My mom's emphasis and attention always focused on me being nice, and sweet, and girly and cute. I wasn't any of those things. Maybe it was because my aunt only saw me once or twice a year, or maybe she really understood that I had no interest in being the things my mom thought a little girl should be. Whatever it was, Thanksgiving at Aunt Ginny's house was always something that I looked forward to.

As I've gotten older, our relationship has changed, but not drastically. I still look up to her, admire her. She's still smart and funny and capable and someone that I aspire to be like. I never knew I was going to be a teacher when I was younger, but now it's another similarity that I share with my favorite aunt. I've also grown to, even more than before, appreciate how comfortable my aunt is with who she is.

Perhaps it's a shout out to her love of math, or maybe it's the quest for perfection, but my Aunt Ginny is a pie expert. Every year at Thanksgiving became increasingly more about the different pies she'd made--with the fruits from her trees--rather than the other elements of the meal. And, as a fat kid, of course, I loved this! We used to bring pies on our trek from southern Oregon to the Bay Area, but stopped because Marie Calender couldn't compete with what my Aunt churned out each year.

A love of baking, and creating things that other people enjoy, and constantly trying to improve the "perfect" recipe is another thing that my aunt and I have in common. Maybe it's just an undying drive for perfection, or getting as close to it as we can, that keeps pushing us. More likely, though, I think it is the simply joy of watching others devour something you've created and seeing how happy it makes them.

I've never dreamed of trying to compete with my aunt's pies at Thanksgiving, but this recipe is tempting me to throw down the gauntlet. It's not a pie, and it's not trying to be. But it has all the flavors pumpkin pie, but without trying so hard. It's a little sloppy. Usually kind of lopsided and lumpy. It's less than perfect looking, but the flavor, what counts, is spot on. I first made this for my colleagues a few weeks ago, and it was gone in a day. People have been asking for the recipe ever since.

Pumpkin Pie Cobbler

Adapted from Fast, Easy and Simple: Cooking for Less

For the crust:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder*
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom (or nutmeg)
• 1 cup almond or coconut milk (you can use regular milk, too)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

For the filling:

• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) 100% pure pumpkin (also called solid-packed pumpkin) or 3 cups cooked mashed pumpkin*
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1) Turn on oven to 350 degrees F. Place butter in a 13 X 9-inch baking pan, and place in preheating oven. When butter has melted, about 3 minutes, carefully remove pan from oven, and set aside. Allow oven to continue to preheat.

2) In a medium bowl, mix together remaining crust ingredients, and pour them over melted butter. Do not stir. Set aside.

3) In a large bowl, lightly beat eggs. Add milk and pumpkin, and stir to blend. Stir in remaining filling ingredients, and stir to mix well.

4) Spoon or slowly pour filling evenly over crust batter in pan. (The crust ingredients will almost be completely covered, this is fine.) Do not stir.

5) Bake cobbler, uncovered, for 45 to 50 minutes, or until crust has risen over the sides of filling and is golden brown and bubbly. (The crust will not cover cobbler completely, but this is fine.) Remove pan from oven, and cool for 10 to 15 minutes.Top with cool whip or vanilla bean ice cream.