Cream Cheese Frosting

1 pkg cream cheese
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp margarine or butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
Mix cream cheese, softened, margarine or butter (softened), and vanilla. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until smooth and of spreading consistency.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Serves 12

1 1/4 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs (crush about 20 cookies in a
plastic bag with a rolling pin)
1/4 cup unsalted butter -- melted
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese -- softened
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 (16 ounce) can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
4 eggs
3/4 cup chilled whipping cream (need to whip it with 2 teaspoons sugar
and a teaspoon of vanilla)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the cookie crumbs and butter. Press evenly
on the bottom of a 9" spring form pan inches. Bake 10 minutes, then
let cool.

Reduce oven temp. to 300 degrees.

In another large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, the cinnamon and
ginger on medium speed until smooth. Add pumpkin puree. Now add in the
eggs, one at a time on low speed. Pour into the cookie crumb pie shell.

Bake your cheesecake until center is firm, about 1 1/4 hours. Cool to
room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours. (but in your
case, you did it two days prior at least)

To loosen cheesecake from the sides of the pan, unbuckle the side and
carefully remove. Serve a dollop of whip cream on the cheesecake.

Pampered Chef

I hosted a Pampered Chef party yesterday. And I'd like to post the food I served here, because I think it was more high-class than I usually do, and it was so yummy!

--home made Boursin cheese (see recipe further down in the blog, only I omitted the black olives)
--everything crackers
--home made Italian bread
--slices of yummy tomato, fresh ground sea salt, fresh sliced mozzerella w/ beautiful basil leaf on top
--bowl of cherry tomatoes (I meant to also have cucumber slices & carrots too, but the table was too small)
--baked potstickers with asian dipping sauce - see recipe further down
--surprise turtle cake (chocolate cake with chocolate, caramel and pecan topping)
--homemade Ben & Jerry's French Vanilla ice cream
--fresh brewed tea from England - Twining's "Traditional Afternoon Tea" - chilled to become iced-tea thanks to the cold weather outside, because I had no room in my fridge!
--raspberry green tea from Crystal Light

I had also planned to serve but didn't have time or room for it:
--cheese pizza rolls - organic - from Annie's
--Apple Scrapple bread from Herndon's "Great Harvest Bread Company"
--egg rolls from Annie's - also organic

Home-made Boursin Cheese

That delectably fragrant spread known as boursin cheese is quite easy to make at home—which will impress your guests and save you some money at the grocery store!

1 clove garlic, peeled
1/2 cup (118 ml) fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup (59 ml) chives
1 8-ounce (226 g) package cream cheese
1/4 cup (6 oz/170 g) black olives, pitted

In a food processor, chop the garlic and herbs. Add the cream cheese and blend until smooth. Add the olives and chop briefly. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl. Serve with crackers or spread on pieces of French bread, topped with thin slices of roast beef.

Yield: 1 cup (237 ml)