November Recipes

This month it is ALL about pumpkin & spice - enjoy!!

This cheesecake is so, so yummy. The recipe calls for a lot of ingredients but most of them are spices - it is definitely worth trying!

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

Crust:

3 Tbsp. butter, melted

1 cup crushed gingersnaps (about 25 cookies)

Filling:

4 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 cup sour cream

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. vanilla

3 eggs

1 tsp. lemon juice

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 Tbsp. molasses

1 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. cloves

1. Heat oven to 350* F. In small bowl, combine butter and cookie crumbs; mix well. Press in bottom of 9" springform pan.

2. In large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and 2 Tbsp. of the cornstarch until smooth. Add sour cream, salt and vanilla; mix well. Ad eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. Place 3 1/2 cups batter in medium bowl; add lemon juice. Mix thouroughly; set aside.

4. To remaining batter in larg bowl, add 1 Tbsp. cornstarch and all remaining ingredients; beat well. Set aside 1 cup of the pumpkin batter.

5. Pour half of vanilla batter (1 3/4 cups) into crust. Top with 2 cups pumpkin batter, remaining half of vanilla batter and reserved 1 cup pumpkin batter. Swirl batters with knife.

6. Bake for 1-1 1/4 hours or until filling is almost set in center. Cool in pan on wire rack for 1 hour. Run knife around edge of pan. Remove sides of pan. Serve warm. Refrigerate remaining cheesecake.

Autumn Spice Cookies

courtesy of Christina

2 1/4 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. each: ground cloves, ginger, cinnamon, salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

Heat oven to 375*. Sift together flour, baking soda, spices and salt. Set aside. Beat butter & 1 cup sugar in large bowl with mixer on high for 1 minute (until light). Add egg and molasses and mix well. Add flour mixture and blend until just combined. Using about 1 1/2 tsp. dough for each, roll into balls. Roll in the remaining sugar to fully coat. Arrange on baking sheet 2" apart. Bake until set (9-10 min). Cool on wire rack.

*Make sure dough is chilled so that the cookies do not go flat.

Pumpkin Butter

I just made this tonight - it turned out so yummy and was simple to make.

1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

Combine all ingredients in a medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring frequently, for 20-25 minutes or until thickened. Pack in sterilized, airtight jars. Store in refrigerator for up to 2 months.

**Reminder - only 39 days left to order your Santa letter

More info. available HERE