Pumpkin Cheesecake

If you like pumpkin pie and cheesecake you are going to thank me for this one. It is like the two got together and had a love child! It's g-o-o-d!!!
I don't have a lot of down time these days, with my workload, but I've got to take a little to keep myself sane. During these times you can find me either watching some mindless reality TV show or cooking/ baking something. These are the times when I am truly relaxed. Sunday, it was overcast and cool and so I took a little time for myself and baked.
If you are interested in whipping this up yourself, which would be perfect for Thanksgiving, here is what you are going to need:
10 graham crackers - finely crushed
1/4 c. finely chopped pecans
1/4 c. melted butter
4 pkg. (8 oz. ea.) Philadelphia cream cheese, at room temperature
1 c. sugar
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
cool whip and ground nutmeg for serving
9" springform pan
Preheat the oven to 325 F. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, pecans and butter and press into the pan and about 1" up the side like below. Bake for about 7 mins, remove and cool. Beat the cream cheese and sugar with mixer until blended and fluffy. Add pumpkin, spice, and vanilla and mix well. Add the eggs, one at a time, with the mixer on medium.
Pour into cooled pan and bake for 1 hour and 20 mins, until the center is almost set. Turn the oven off and let it sit in the oven with the door open for about 20 mins, then move to a place to cool completely. Once it is cooled completely, move it to the fridge for at least 4 hours.

A little trick with cheesecake - put a water bath below during baking and this will keep the cake moist. Something I learned from the food network ;-)

After you remove it from the fridge, use a hot knife to run around the edges before you remove the springform sides.
It makes the prettiest variation of oranges and light browns, perfect for your Thanksgiving spread.

Serve with a dollop of cool whip and a dusting of ground nutmeg.

If you try this out, let me know how it goes and if you love it as much as I do :-)

Enjoy!