anti-recipe #42 pumpkin cheesecake with sour cream topping

Eh. This is totally a for real recipe. Like, I (mostly) follow the whole thing (mostly).

me and my cooking buddy. the kids were absorbed
in holiday specials on TV...

A few years back after making another pumpkin pie that hardly anyone in my giant family ate (not that we are giants, but that there are a lot of us. HA.) I thought to myself, Sara, we should find a different pumpkin-y recipe that people WILL actually eat.

So, the following Thanksgiving, after much googling, I came upon this recipe for pumpkin cheesecake with sour cream topping.

And, holy crap, it is good.

Please, however, don't look at the estimated fat and calorie count at the bottom of the page. Not till later anyway, post consumption. You will thank me.

little miss crumbling the crumbs. brother joined in when
i put the crumbs in a ziplock and smashed them on the floor

First, the crust. I feel its important to make your own graham cracker crust. One, its easy, and two, you avoid all the nasty crap they put in store bought crusts. And three, really this is the only part the kids show any interest in. Crushing graham crackers to a pulp?? YES PLEASE!

So you need about a cup and a half of crumbs plus a quarter cup sugar and around 6 or 7 tablespoons of melted butter. The recipe said 5 but that wasnt enough. Mix this then spread evenly in a greased 9 inch springform pan. Mine is 10 inch, it worked just fine. Bake around 7-10 minutes at 350. Let cool.

my helper fell asleep!

Now the yummy part. Mix one can of pumpkin stuff and 5oz of evaporated milk. A note, the recipe says a can of evap milk and then 5 oz in parentheses. My can was 12 oz. Glad I checked. I guessed at 5oz. (Of course) Add three pkgs cream cheese, softened and one cup brown sugar. Beat this mixture on high until smooth. I never EVER get all the chunks out. But I am using a sicko old one-beater beater that doesnt work well. You may have better luck. The recipe says to add cornstarch. I dont do that. Eh. Whatever. Its still good and my sister is allergic. Now add two eggs. Beat some more. Now some spices. I do cinammon, nutmeg, and ginger. And vanilla (1tsp).

still a little clumpy...but good!

Spread this into the cooled crust. Bake at 350 for around 50 minutes, until the center isnt too too jiggly (it wont totally firm up until cooled overnight in the fridge)

Now for the sour cream yummy part. Take 2 cups of sour cream (or more or less, whatever you have) add some sugar, I do around 2tbs, then a splash of vanilla. Mix it up and put onto the baked cheesecake. Put back in the oven for around 10 minutes.

the final product. with a few finger pokes in the middle...
(little miss!!)

Take out and cool for an hour, running a knife along the edge at some point to release the sides. Chill overnight in the fridge. Serve and enjoy the next day. YUM. And, so much tastier than the normal stuff.

ALSO. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!