OK, I admit it, I go a little crazy this time of year wanting to bake everything I can find with pumpkin or cranberries or apples. The days like today and yesterday with the dark, rainey skies just call out to me to bake. A few years ago, I made a pumpkin cheesecake that was awesome and since driving down the streets, seeing pumpkins in yards, I immediately thought, hum…….it’s time to get the ole cheesecake pan out and bake a pumpkin cheesecake. Am sharing the recipe with you. I got it out of Southern Living a couple of years ago. It is delicious. Instead of the usualy graham cracker crust, it sports a gingersnap crust. As in the words of Emaril….”pow”! delicious.

For Crust:

1 1/2 cups crushed gingersnaps

1 cup  maple sugar

1/2 cup melted butter

3  8 oz softened cream cheese

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 1/2 teas vanilla

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. For crust: In a medium bowl, combine the crumbs 1/3 cup of the mapke sugar and the butter. Press crumb mixture onto the bottom and about 2 ” up the sides of the 9-in springform pan. Bake for 8 min. Cool on wire rack.

For filling:

In a large bowl, combine the remaining 2/3 cup maple sugar, the cream cheese, pumpkin, 1/4 cup maple syrup, and the vanilla. Beat on medium speed until all is blended. Add eggs, beat on low just until combined.

Gently pour filling onto crust. Place spring-form pan in a shallow baking pan. Bake for 1 to 1/4 hrs, or until center appears nearly set when gently shaken. (always remember that it continues to bake a few minutes after removing from oven).

Cook in sprig-form pan for 15 min. Using a small thin knife, loosen crust from sides. Cool for 30 more min.Remove side of spring pan and cool for another hour. Cover and chill then for at least 4 hrs or up to 24 hrs.

 To serve, I spoon whipping cream on top and drizzle with the caramel sauce. Makes 10 servings.

Use as a table decoration when placed on a fall doily on a plate stand and place minature pumpkins around the plate. Guests can be drueling over the dessert during the dinner, knowing to save enough room for that marvelous cheesecake!

I forgot last night to tell you about how I did the dessert. Since I was really trying to impress Randy’s Company people, I thought I would take one of Randy’s favs, chocolate cream pie” which I think is already in my dessert file and put a new spin on it. So I brought out beautifully painted martini glasses which I still like to use for different desserts, poured the chocolate pudding into them and topped them off with cut out shapes of pie crust. Then topped it off with a swirl of whipped cream (no cool whip ladies and gentlemen). This is also a way to customize desserts to the holiday you are celebrating. So last night I made a pie crust which is very simple, will give that recipe in a minute, rolled it out and cut 2″ fall leaves out and baked them at 425 until golden brown. This went on top of the pudding and then the whipped cream beside it. Or you can add the whipped cream and stick the pie dough shapes sticking out like a straw would coming out from the pudding…..makes a great presentation. I was able to give the golf painted martini glass to the company since I knew he played golf, Randy’s had cigars and a brief case and phone painted on it and mine, well, do I really have to say what mine had? Flowers and diamonds………went over beautifully.

Pie Crust Recipe

1 cup flour

1/3 cup shortening (I like to use butter flavored)

1/2 teas salt

1/4 cup cold, iced wated

Crumble the shortening into the flour/salt mixture until it resemebles little crumbs. Add cold water until it becomes a ball. I do this with a fork. Take the ball of dough and roll it out onto a floured waxed paper until very thin. Cut into shapes and use as needed. It is also good to sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over the dough before baking. You can use the leaves on pumpkin pie, apple pie or pecan pie.

I made cupcakes for Bible study today and thought I would pass on a little infor re: the cupcakes that everyone seem to enjoy.

Use Duncan Hines Cake Mixes. I use the pound cake recipe for them, as they stay so moist and seem to have a more intense flavor. For instance, for the yellow cupcakes:

Duncan Hines Yellow cake mix

1 small package of either the cheesecake or french vanilla instant pudding

1 cup water

1/3 cup oil

4 eggs

Pudding

Add ingredients and bake as directed.

For the chocolate cupcakes

Duncan Hines Chocolate Fudge Mix or Red Velvet

4 eggs

1 1/4 cup water

1/2 cup oil

small package of cheesecake, white chocolate or chocolate fudge instant pudding. Mix and bake as directed on box.

The frosting is

1 cup of cocoa

1 stick of butter

1 box of powdered sugar

1/2 cup whipping cream or half and half. (sometimes it doesn’t take all of the 1/2 cup, mix in gradually)

2 teas vanilla

1/3 cup white karo syrup

Mix until all is blended and smooth and frost cupcakes when cooled.

Try to just bake the cupcakes until they still have a little “wet” spot right in the middle of the cupcake. It will continue to cook for a few mintues after taking out of the oven. This also assures that they are not overcooked and are very moist.

Sometimes I make a ganache to put in the middle of the cupcake before frosting. Will put that recipe on the web site tomrrow, I am exhausted and going to call it a night…….