Posted by community member babyzebra:

Ingredients

For the crust

• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For the filling

• 1 1/2 cups solid pack pumpkin
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• three 8-ounce packages cream cheese, cut into bits and softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon bourbon liqueur or bourbon if desired

For the topping

• 2 cups sour cream
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon bourbon liqueur or bourbon, or to taste

• 16 pecan halves for garnish

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Preparation

Make the crust:
In a bowl combine the cracker crumbs, the pecans, and the sugars, stir in the butter, and press the mixture into the bottom and 1/2 inch up the side of a buttered 9-inch springform pan. Chill the crust for 1 hour.

Make the filling:
In a bowl whisk together the pumpkin, the egg, the cinnamon, the nutmeg, the ginger, the salt, and the brown sugar. In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the cream cheese and the granulated sugar, beat in the cream, the cornstarch, the vanilla, the bourbon liqueur, and the pumpkin mixture, and beat the filling until it is smooth.

Pour the filling into the crust, bake the cheesecake in the middle of a preheated 350°F. oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the center is just set, and let it cool in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes.

Make the topping:
In a bowl whisk together the sour cream, the sugar, and the bourbon liqueur.

Spread the sour cream mixture over the top of the cheesecake and bake the cheesecake for 5 minutes more. Let the cheesecake cool in the pan on a rack and chill it, covered, overnight. Remove the side of the pan and garnish the top of the cheesecake with the pecans.

Posted by community member DotcomCowgirl:

These are great when you want to make a simple, yet elegant cookie for holiday gift giving.  I make mine with all organic ingredients as well.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/3 c        Salted Butter, softened
• 2/3 c        Brown Sugar, packed
• 1/4 tsp     Salt
• 1/2 tsp     Baking Powde
• 1 cup       Rolled oats
• 1/2 c        Chopped pecans
• 1 T           Milk – whole, 2% or half n half
• 1 tsp        Vanilla Extract  OR  1/4 tsp Lemon extract

DIRECTIONS

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Stir in salt, baking powder, oats, pecans, milk and vanilla (or lemon) extract, blending well.

Drop by teaspoons about 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake at 350F abut 8 minutes.  Cool 2 to 3 minutes then remove from sheet promptly.  If cookies harden before they can be removed from the baking sheet, reheat in the oven a few minutes to soften them.

Cookies will be very very thin and lacy.  If desired, while cookies are still warm you can roll them into cornucopia shapes for an extra fancy look.

Yield: About 30 cookies.

Posted by community member JennCadd:

This faux mini beer is a lush after dinner drink, made to look like a tiny pint of Guinness! I’m not a beer drinker, so this is the closest pint-like drink I’ll enjoy!!

INGREDIENTS

• Kahlua… or your favorite coffee liqueur.
• Bailey’s Irish Cream… or your favorite Irish Cream.
• One or more clear standard shot glass.
• Teaspoon

DIRECTIONS

• Fill a little over half of each shot glass with the coffee liqueur. The idea is to look like a glass of Guinness, so fill approximately 3/4 of the shot glass. (2 parts Kahlua to 1 part Bailey’s)

• SLOWLY & GENTLY pour the Bailey’s over an inverted teaspoon on top of the coffee liqueur. This resembles the head of the Guinness, so be careful not to mix the two ingredients. (I have tried just pouring the Baileys in straight but it ends up looking very cloudy! The spoon trick will work!)

• Serve with an Irish Smile;) ….and always remember eye contact!

Posted by community member babyzebra:

Ingredients

For the crust

• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For the filling

• 1 1/2 cups solid pack pumpkin
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• three 8-ounce packages cream cheese, cut into bits and softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon bourbon liqueur or bourbon if desired

For the topping

• 2 cups sour cream
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon bourbon liqueur or bourbon, or to taste

• 16 pecan halves for garnish

————————————————————————————————

Preparation

Make the crust:
In a bowl combine the cracker crumbs, the pecans, and the sugars, stir in the butter, and press the mixture into the bottom and 1/2 inch up the side of a buttered 9-inch springform pan. Chill the crust for 1 hour.

Make the filling:
In a bowl whisk together the pumpkin, the egg, the cinnamon, the nutmeg, the ginger, the salt, and the brown sugar. In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the cream cheese and the granulated sugar, beat in the cream, the cornstarch, the vanilla, the bourbon liqueur, and the pumpkin mixture, and beat the filling until it is smooth.

Pour the filling into the crust, bake the cheesecake in the middle of a preheated 350°F. oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the center is just set, and let it cool in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes.

Make the topping:
In a bowl whisk together the sour cream, the sugar, and the bourbon liqueur.

Spread the sour cream mixture over the top of the cheesecake and bake the cheesecake for 5 minutes more. Let the cheesecake cool in the pan on a rack and chill it, covered, overnight. Remove the side of the pan and garnish the top of the cheesecake with the pecans.