Just The Cutest Thing - Pumpkin Cheesecake

Amidst all the bad news coming out of Gaza today (just end it soon, you gobshite politicians/diplomats! GAAAAAAAAHHHHHH), there was this teensy weensy story that caught my eye. It was the only bit of news that managed to put a smile on my face. I was actually laughing by the end of it.

Two kids from Germany, a 6 year old boy (Mikah) and a 5 year old girl (Annalina), actually tried to elope to Africa to get married. They sneaked off in the middle of the night as their parents were sleeping. When asked "Why Africa?", they replied that they wanted to go somewhere warmer for their wedding because it was too cold where they were. They packed all kinds of things like sunglasses and sunblock in their little suitcases. The news report showed that these little scamps even had the presence of mind to bring along a witness for their marriage ceremony - Mikah's 7 year old sister. Of course, they didn't have any money for railway or plane tickets, so were stopped by the police who begged them to reconsider their decision, and were then returned safely to their parents.

Dear readers, let's take a moment to react to this.

MmmmmppphhhhhhhhAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAA !!

Okokok ... I'm fine now. The news report also said that it was the boy's idea, because he was the one madly in love with the girl. The girl "liked" the boy so decided to go along with it. So what do you think, folks? Will this "love" last?! heh heh heh - I give that girl 2 weeks before the next cute boy in kindergarten gives her a heart-shaped candy ... then it's "be seein' ya" for poor Mikah! I've got to give the little dude some credit though; at least he wasn't afraid of commitment!

I have a 5 year old niece myself, so just imagining her packing up a little Dora suitcase to run away with the boy she "loves" ... I don't know whether to laugh or cry or just break out into a sheer panic! I have a feeling that after reading this news story, parents everywhere will be just a wee bit more paranoid about the girls and boys their little pre-schooler is hanging out with!

Well, no matter what, it is just the cutest little story in the news today. Deepak Chopra would've said something like, "See? Didn't I tell you that 'love' was the universal truth?". All I could come up with was to have a really 'sweet' post today. It's dessert time, folks! Numnum.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with a Ginger-Pecan Crust (inspired by Ree's sensational recipe on her blog, Pioneer Woman Cooks)

Crust:
1 1/2 cups gingersnaps
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup melted butter
2 rbsp brown sugar
Pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Put the gingersnaps in the food processor first and blend till you get a coarse crumb mixture.
3. Then add the chopped pecans and pulse a few times.
4. Combine all the crust ingredients and mix thoroughly.
5. Use a 9 or 10 inch springform pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Form the crust by pressing the crumbly mixture firmly to the bottom of the pan and an inch up the sides. Bake this in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Take it out and let it cool.

Filling:
2 8-oz packages of plain cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
2 tbsp milk/cream
1 cup raspberries (garnish)

1. Mix all of the above filling ingredients in a blender, making sure it ends up with a super-smooth consistency.
2. Pour this into the cooled crust and place in the oven for 55 mins.
3. Remove when done and let it cool for 20 mins before trying to remove the sides of the springform pan. Arrange raspberries on top as you please!

Hello my pretty. You look lovely this morning. Your color makes me feel warm inside. And NO folks, I didn't eat that entire missing slice ... I shared ... some.

WARNING: Licking your computer screen is harmful, considering you can't even remember the last time you cleaned it.

The verdict? Readers, it is divine. This recipe is foolproof. So the top was cracked, big deal! Just the right amount of creaminess, accented by a balanced flavor of pumpkin, spices, cheese .. and that dose of ginger from the crust. The raspberries helped, giving it that kick to play off the richness of the cheesecake. Thumbs up - definitely IN my "impressive desserts" repertoire.