It’s fall y’all! We are beginning to feel a crispness in the air, leaves are turning those beautiful autumn colors and there’s football on Friday nights. These things mean the holidays are just around the corner.

I am going to begin sharing some of my family’s favorite  holiday recipes for the next several weeks. We are now seeing pumpkins in the stores. So, I will begin with two of my family’s favorite pumpkin recipes. The first recipe is a rich and creamy pumpkin cheese cake and the second one is a  pumpkin dip. 

Pumpkin Pie Dip 

1 (8oz) pkg. cream cheese (softened)

2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin pie mix

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp ground ginger

This dip can be made in the food processor. Just add a hint of vanilla.

This makes a large portion but can be frozen well.

Serve with gingersnap cookies or my =favorite, Lotus Brand Biscoff cookies.

Also good to serve with fruits such as pears and apples. 

Pumpkin Cheesecake 

3 (8 oz. each) pkgs. cream cheese.

That’s 24 oz. of cream cheese! I warned you it is rich and creamy!

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ginger

3 eggs

1 (16 oz) can pumpkin

Gram Cracker Crumbs

Blend cream cheese, both sugars, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Add eggs & beat until fluffy. Mix in pumpkin. 

Butter a spring form pan. Then lightly coat the bottom of the pan with graham cracker crumbs. Pour the batter in the spring form pan. Bake for 1 1/2 hours in 350 degree oven.