Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

In the third installment of the Harry Potter Series Harry and Hermione find themselves forced to travel back in time to save their good friend Buckbeak. Little did they know that they had all ready saved him and were now getting to witness that the executioner had only sliced a huge pumpkin from Hagrid's garden. So in honor of the life saved by the heroics of Harry and Hermione as well as the pumpkin so graciously sliced open by the executioner, I give you a Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake!

Now I always love it when a new recipe is a hit, but this one hasn't been well received. It has to do with the simple fact that it tastes and looks some what close to pumpkin pie, but then it also has the texture and taste of a cheesecake. This has led to the reoccurring statement that one would rather have pumpkin pie or a cheesecake, not both. I have to say I'm in agreement with said statement. However, it was still enjoyable to try a new recipe for the experience, no matter what the outcome is.


Ingredients
28 Nabisco ginger snaps, finely crushed
1/4 cup finely chopped Planters Pecans
1/4 cup butter, melted
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup thawed Cool Whip Whipped Topping
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions
Heat oven to 325ºF. Mix crumbs, nuts and butter; press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of 9 inch spring form pan. Beat cream cheese and sugar with mixer until blended. Add pumpkin, spice and vanilla; mix well. add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing after each just until blended. Pour into crust. Bake 1 hour 20 min. to 1 hour 30 min. or until center is almost set. Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool before removing rim. refrigerate 4 hours. Serve with a dollop of Cool Whip and a dusting of nutmeg.

(Recipe was found as an advertisement in Kraft magazine)