*  Exported from  MasterCook II  *

                            Pumpkin Cheesecake

Recipe By     : Woman's Day magazine, Nov 26, 1991
Serving Size  : 18   Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Holiday                          Desserts

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
     1/3  c             Reduced-calorie margarine --
                        - at room temperature
   2      c             Graham-cracker crumbs --
                         - about 15 double crackers
                        Filling:
  24      oz            Nonfat cottage cheese (3 c)
  12      oz            Tub light cream-cheese
   1 1/4  c             Light-brown sugar -- packed
   2      lg            Eggs whites
  16      oz            Can solid-pack pumpkin
   2      tb            Corn starch
   2      ts            Pumpkin-pie spice
   1      ts            Vanilla extract

Timing tip:

You can make the cheesecake and caramelize the pecans up to 4 days
ahead.

For Garnish:

Carmelized Pecan Halves (recipe follows),
pastry mini pumpkin garnish (see Note)

Lightly grease bottom and sides of 9x3" springform pan.

Crust:

Mix margarine and cracker crumbs in a bowl until evenly moistened.
Press over bottom and 2" up sides of prepared pan.

Filling:

Heat oven to 325°F. Process cottage cheese and cream cheese product
in a food processor or blender about 2 minutes, scraping down sides 2
or 3 times, until thick and smooth. Add brown sugar. Process until
sugar disolves. Add eggs and egg whites and process just until
blended. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in pumpkin, corn starch,
spice and vanilla until well blended and smooth. Pour into crust.

Bake 1 hour and 20 minutes or until top of cake looks set. Center may
jingle and top crack. Shut off oven. Cool completely on wire rack.
Cover and refrigerate in pan at least 6 hours or up to 4 days.

To Serve:

Run knife around cake. Remove pan sides. Place cake on serving plate.
Garnish with pecans.

Yield: 18 Servings

Per serving: 234 cal, 9 g pro, 31 g car, 8 g fat, 44 mg chol,
374 mg sodium.

Note:

To make pastry mini pumpkin garnish, shape purchased refrigerated
pie-crust mix into mini pumpkins. Use cloves for stems. Bake in 350°F
oven until golden brown.

Carmelized Pecan Halves:

Arrange 20 pecan halves 1" apart on a foil-lines cookie sheet. Cook
1/2 cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring
occasionally, until melted and dark amber in color. Slowly pour over
pecans. Let cool until hard. Break apart.


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