Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap-Walnut Crust

Doesn't Fall remind you of baking. Having the house smell of maple, clove or cinnamon, is so delightful. 

Here's a goody from Eating Well.

 

 

 

Ingredients

• 4 ounces gingersnap cookies (18-20 1 3/4-inch cookies)
• 1 cup walnut halves, divided
• 4 teaspoons walnut oil or canola oil
• 12 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 16-ounce container nonfat cottage cheese
• 1 15-ounce can unseasoned pumpkin puree

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Tightly wrap the outside of the pan bottom and sides with heavy-duty foil to help keep the water bath from leaking into the cake. Put a kettle of water on to boil for the water bath.
2. Grind cookies and 1/3 cup walnuts to a fine meal in a food processor. Drizzle in oil and process, scraping the sides as needed, until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Press the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Place the pan in a roasting pan and set aside. Clean the food processor.
3. Beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until the spice is incorporated. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until completely smooth, scraping down the sides occasionally. Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides occasionally. Beat in vanilla.
4. Process cottage cheese in the food processor until completely smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides once. Gradually beat the cottage cheese and pumpkin puree into the cream cheese mixture on medium speed. Scrape down the sides and beat a final time to make sure no streaks remain. Pour the batter into the crust.
5. Pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to come 1 inch up the side of the spring-form pan to create a hot water bath for the cake. Carefully transfer the roasting pan to the oven. Bake the cheesecake in the center of the oven until it’s set around the edges but the center still jiggles slightly, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours.
6. Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Let the cake cool in the water bath until the water is room temperature. Coarsely chop the remaining 2/3 cup walnuts. Toast them in a dry skillet over medium-low heat until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the water bath. Remove the foil. Place the nuts decoratively around the edge of the cheesecake. (Alternatively, turn the nuts into Candied Walnuts and decorate just before serving; see Variation.) Refrigerate, uncovered, until very cold, at least 4 hours. Wrap tightly and refrigerate overnight if desired.
7. To serve, remove the sides of the pan. Transfer the cheesecake to a cake stand, if desired.

Tips & Notes

Apple Cranberry Sald

Christmas is coming and the goose is getting fat, so please pass the salad.

Christmas dinner does not have to be big and overloaded with calories. 

Try this from Kraft. 

Apple Cranberry Salad

Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 15 min
Makes: 8 servings, 1-1/2 cups each
 
1 bag (10 oz.) mixed salad greens  
2 medium apples, sliced  
1 cup PLANTERS Walnut Halves, toasted  
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries  
1/2 cup sliced green onions  
1/2 cup KRAFT LIGHT DONE RIGHT! Raspberry Vinaigrette Reduced Fat Dressing  

Nutrition (per serving)
Calories 200  Total fat 11g  Saturated fat 1g  Cholesterol 0mg  Sodium 140mg  Carbohydrate 25g  Dietary fiber 3g  Sugars 19g  Protein 3g  Vitamin A 10%DV  Vitamin C 15%DV  Calcium 4%DV  Iron 4%DV

Brownie Goody Bars

New recipe to try. From Betty Crocker...  Keep you posted how they trun out.

Ingredients

Brownies

2/3  Cup butter or margarine

5 Oz unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped

1 3/4 Cups granulated sugar

2  Teaspoons vanilla

3 Eggs

1 Cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour*

1/2 Cup chopped walnuts, toasted if desired

Creamy Vanilla Frosting

3 Cups powdered sugar

1/3  Cup butter or margarine, softened

1 1/2  Teaspoons vanilla

1 To 2 tablespoons milk

Topping

3/4 Cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

3 Cups crisp rice cereal

1 Cup creamy peanut butter

1 Bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)

Directions

• 1 Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with shortening. In 1-quart saucepan, melt 2/3 cup butter and the unsweetened chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly. Cool 5 minutes.
• 2 In medium bowl beat granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla and the eggs with electric mixer on high speed 5 minutes. Beat in chocolate mixture on low speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in flour just until blended, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in walnuts. Spread in pan.
• 3 Bake 40 to 45 minutes or just until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack, about 2 hours.
• 4 In medium bowl, mix powdered sugar and 1/3 cup butter with spoon or electric mixer on low speed. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and 1 tablespoon milk. Gradually beat in enough remaining milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to make frosting smooth and spreadable. Frost brownies; sprinkle with peanuts. Refrigerate while making cereal mixture.
• 5 Place cereal in large bowl; set aside. In 1-quart saucepan, melt peanut butter and chocolate chips over low heat, stirring constantly. Pour over cereal in bowl, stirring until evenly coated. Spread over frosted brownies. Cool completely before cutting, about 1 hour. Cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store tightly covered at room temperature or in refrigerator.

Coffee Cake

Ingredients

1 cup butter , softened
2 3/4 cups sugar , divided
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

• 4 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions:

Cream butter and 2 cups sugar until fluffy.Add vanilla.Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.Combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Add alternately with sour cream, beating lightly after each addition. Spoon 1/3rd of the batter into greased 10 inch tube pan. Mix nuts, cinnamon and remaining sugar. Sprinkle 1/3 over batter. Repeat layers 2 more times. Bake at 350* for 70 minutes, or until cake tests done.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/cinnamon-coffee-cake-42409#ixzz1sv5IJG9S

Roasted Pears with Blue Cheese by Ina Garten

Ingredients

• 3 ripe but firm Anjou pears
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
• 3 ounces coarsely crumbled sharp blue cheese such as Stilton
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup walnut halves, toasted and chopped
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 3 tablespoons port
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 6 ounces baby arugula
• Kosher salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Peel the pears and slice them lengthwise into halves. With a small sharp paring knife and a melon baller, remove the core and seeds from each pear, leaving a round well for the filling. Trim a small slice away from the rounded sides of each pear half so that they will sit in the baking dish without wobbling. Toss the pears with some lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown. Arrange them, core side up, in a baking dish large enough to hold the pears snugly.

Gently toss the crumbled blue cheese, dried cranberries, and walnuts together in a small bowl. Divide the mixture among the pears, mounding it on top of the indentation.

In the same small bowl, combine the apple cider, port, and brown sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour the mixture over and around the pears. Bake the pears, basting occasionally with the cider mixture, for 30 minutes, or until tender. Set aside until warm or at room temperature.

Just before serving, whisk together the olive oil, 1/4 cup of lemon juice, and 1/4 cup of the basting liquid in a large bowl. Divide the arugula among 6 plates and top each with a pear half. Drizzle each pear with some of the basting liquid, sprinkle with salt, and serve warm.