MARBLED PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE
8oz. gingersnap cookies
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
2 tbsp. melted butter
2 8 oz. pkgs. Neufchatel cheese or cream cheese
3/4 cup brown sugar 2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice or Chinese five-spice powder
1 1 lb. can pumpkin
Crush the gingersnap cookies - either by placing them in a ziploc bag and mashing them with a rolling pin, or use a food processor. In a 9-inch cheesecake pan with removeable bottom, mix crumbs, gran. sugar and melted butter. Press crumb mixture over bottom and about 1 inch up sides of pan. Bake at 325 until lightly browned, about 15 min. With an elec. mixer, beat cheese and brown sugar until blended. Add eggs one at a time, beat well after each addition. Save 1/2 of this mixture, set aside. Stir in the spice and pumpking, blend well. Pour this mixture into crust lined pan. Drop tablespoonsful of reserved mixture randomly over pumpkin mixture. With a knife, draw blade through the blobs to swirl mixtures and marbelize.
Bake in a 325 oven until center barely jiggles when cake is shaken, about 50 minutes. Cool on a rack at least 2 1/2 hours, or up to a day. Run knive around edge of cake and remove pan sides.
This is sooooo yummy!
And Squeaker wants to wish everyone a Merry Christmas again!
