FF - Cheesecake!

In keeping with my goal-setting (thanks again, everyone, for your suggestions), this week's post will have to be brief. For my US readers and me, next week is Thanksgiving. You wouldn't know it by looking at the stores - retail seems to jump straight from Halloween to Christmas. I always feel bad that Thanksgiving gets glossed over. Especially now, when it's so important to take the time out to remember all we have (even if it doesn't seem like much) and to give thanks.

We do the traditional Thanksgiving celebrating at my house, but with a few twists. For instance, we prefer Thanksgiving dinner in leftover format. I'd much rather set out the turkey and trimmings and pick at it all afternoon than to sit down to a "feast" and stuff myself. I've also never learned to like pumpkin pie (I love the smell of it and the flavor of it, but the texture creeps me out) so at our house, we have pumpkin cheesecake for dessert instead. For fun, I'm posting the recipe below.

Pumpkin Cheesecake:

Crust:

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 c. finely-chopped pecans
  
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon each: ginger, cinnamon
• 6 tablespoons melted butter
  

Mix together and press into a 9" spring form pan. (Should cover bottom and a couple inches up the sides.) Bake at 350 degrees for five minutes. Cool.

Filling:

• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
  
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Blend together cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs, pumpkin, and spices and mix until creamy. Pour onto prepared crust in spring form pan and bake at 350 for one hour, or until the top of the cheesecake turns golden. Cool for about an hour and then wrap tightly and chill. Serve garnished with real whipped cream topped with a sprinkle of chopped pecans.


For this week's freebie, we have a $20 gift certificate to Amazon.com up for grabs. To be entered to win, leave a comment below with your favorite holiday tradition or recipe. This drawing will remain open until Wednesday, November 24.