Everything’s Coming Up Pumpkin

Yah, I know yesterday we had Fruitcake and now it’s another dessert. I cannot help how the National Days are lining up this time of the year. Or is it that Hubby and I are watching our figures now that winter is coming and we aren’t as active.

Have you ever noticed how you don’t want something until you can’t have it, and then it makes you nuts? All summer we were hiking and swimming and working in the yard on various projects. It was fine to have a slice of cake or pie or a piece of candy then. But now that the days are shorter and the nights cooler, that slice of cake can be deadly, if you know what I mean. And yet it’s this time of the year that we do our best baking. There’s Thanksgiving with all those desserts to be thankful for, and Christmas with it’s assortment of sweet temptations. Not to mention October – Pumpkin Spice Donuts and Lattes and pancakes and – oh you get the picture. Plus Halloween with all that candy. I swear, it’s a conspiracy!

Today is National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day. Yeah, another dessert. Oh sure, let’s make it fat free – don’t think so. Maybe it’s just me, but I really don’t understand the point of fat-free desserts. Fat free is a salad without dressing. And that’s fine, in its place. I like a salad with a little salt and pepper for lunch. But not for dessert! Just as I don’t understand the concept of fat-free buttermilk. Do you?

Sometimes just thinking makes my head explode. I’d rather be in the kitchen . . .

Pumpkin Cheesecake
Graham Cracker Crust
1/4 cup Butter
1 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
1 tablespoon Sugar

Melt butter. In a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan; chill.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
2 (8 oz) packages Cream Cheese
2 large Eggs
3/4 cup Sugar
1 (15 oz) can Pumpkin
1-1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground Ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground Nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Salt

Heat oven to 350-degrees. Let the cream cheese soften and the eggs come to room temperature. Lightly beat eggs, set aside.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, beat on low speed until just blended. Stir in the pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Add salt and blend.

Remove springform pan from the refrigerator; place on a baking sheet. Pour pumpkin filling over the crust.

Place in the heated oven to bake for 50 minutes.

Sour Cream Finish
2 cups Sour Cream
2 tablespoons Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
16 Pecan Halves

While the cheesecake bakes, make the sour cream finish. Combine the sour cream, sugar and vanilla in a bowl, stir until smooth. When the cheesecake has baked for 50 minutes; remove from the oven. Spread sour cream over the top; return to the oven for another 5 minutes.

Remove cheesecake; cool on a rack for 10 minutes undisturbed. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen. Let cheesecake cool on the rack another hour.

Refrigerate overnight. Remove the ring from the pan. Place cheesecake on a serving platter. Roughly chop pecans, pile on top in the center. Slice and serve.

Original Recipe: Taste of Home

---

 And He led forth His people with joy;
with shouts of joy, His chosen ones