Happy Fall Ya'll

Today is the first day of Fall!  You know, the cooler weather, sweaters, cute boots, etc, season?  But not really in Florida.  This is what we see.....

Green palm trees in the yard.
Taft and walked around the neighboorhood when we got home this afternoon to try to find some little signs of Fall.  We really had to look.  But this is what I found under the palm tree...

A red leaf.

And then a yellow in the grass.

And off course the magnolia tree is changing, even though it stays green all year.

We saw these pumpkins.  At Wal*Mart.

And our house smells like Fall.  Thanks to Glade.

Our changes here are very subtle.  And slow.  And well, if you wear those boots and a sweater, you will have a heat stroke.  But by this time next year, we will be in Alabama.  Back to living at the bottom of Cheaha Mountain and things will be much more Fall like.  Can tell I am looking forward to it?

Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake

let me start by saying that I am not a fan of anything pumpkin flavored. But I know a lot of people who are, so I thought I would bake a Pumpkin Cheesecake for a church gathering we had in November. It was very simple, but you have to take time into consideration. Real cheesecake is a time consuming dessert. After baking and cooling (in and out of the oven) for 2 1/2 hours, you still have to chill in the fridge for at least 6 hrs. it is something that you need to plan ahead.
It turned out wonderful and it was all eaten by people that love pumpkin and said it was very tasty.

Ingredients:
Crust
2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs (about 32)
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

Cheesecake 4 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:

Heat oven to 300°F. Grease 9-inch springform pan with shortening or cooking spray. Wrap foil around pan to catch drips. In small bowl, mix cookie crumbs and butter. Press crumb mixture in bottom and 1 inch up side of pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool 5 minutes.
In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed just until smooth and creamy; do not overbeat. On low speed, gradually beat in sugar. On low speed, beat in eggs, one at a time, just until blended. Spoon 3 cups of the cream cheese mixture into pan; spread evenly.
Stir pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg into remaining cream cheese mixture; mix with wire whisk until smooth. Spoon over mixture in pan.
Bake 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or until edges are set but center of cheesecake still jiggles slightly when moved.
Turn oven off; open oven door at least 4 inches. Leave cheesecake in oven 30 minutes longer. Remove from oven; place on cooling rack. Without releasing side of pan, run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Cool in pan on cooling rack 30 minutes. Cover loosely; refrigerate at least 6 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
Run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake again; carefully remove side of pan. Place cheesecake on serving plate. Store cheesecake covered in refrigerator.