Pumpkin Spice No-Bake Cheesecake

I am not a huge pie/cake dessert person at all really...never have been.  I'm the girl who who would just have the "a la mode" with a large amount of coolwhip on it and skip the pie.  So when I came across this recipe from Skinnytaste, I was ecstatic!  Such a tasty fall treat that is so light and fluffy, it doesn't leave you with that full feeling after eating a piece...or 3. It was around the end of October that I first tried it and I've already made this 3 times....some may call it an obsession.


Pumpkin Spice No-Bake Cheesecake
from Skinnytaste

• 7 oz 1/3 less fat Philadelphia Cream Cheese
• 1/2 cup pureed pumpkin (canned is fine)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, unpacked
  
• 8 oz Cool Whip Free, thawed
  
• 9 inch reduced fat Graham Cracker Crust

In a large bowl using an electric mixer, whip cream cheese, pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and brown sugar for a few minutes until fluffy. Add Cool Whip and whip until smooth. Spoon mixture into pie crust and chill for a few hours, until firm.



A few things I've noticed from making this obsessively the last month or so is that it really helps to bake the cracker crust for a few minutes until brown and letting cool before spooning the mixture in.  This really helps the crust from being so prone to crumble into a million pieces, which will happen-I promise.  Also, the cheesecake never really gets that "firm" mold, but stays together quite well!  I've noticed that it needs a good 6 hours to refrigerate to be best.


Sidenote: I've followed the recipe as is, made it once with fat free cream cheese and cool whip and once with regular fat for both.  Honestly, I can't tell a difference in any, and either can anybody else eating it!  The full fat ingredients did make the mixture a bit firmer.

Nestie Recipes Swap : One pot meal

LOVED this one!  I have really gotten into this cooking thing and I've learned very quickly that the kitchen has the ability to go from spotless to a train wreck in the matter of seconds...literally.  I've started a love affair with my crockpot for this reason.  When I got Mel's Lentil, Kielbasa and Garlic Stew for the recipe swap, I thought  "one pot AND done in under an hour?! Perfect!" 

With a few little changes, I made this awesome stew and everybody LOVED it! (yes everybody because I realized that at the end of the recipe is says "serves 10", so I had some family over!)  It was so flavorful, so filling and had everybody going back for seconds! I didn't really have any experience with lentils, so I was a little nervous, but everything went great! The lentils almost gave it the texture of a meat sauce and I will def be making this again!

Lentil, Kielbasa & Garlic Stew

from I was Born to Cook

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 pounds turkey kielbasa, cut into bite size chunks (I ended up using chicken because I couldn't find turkey!)

1 large onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups baby carrots, cut into small chunks

4 medium stalks celery, chopped

8 cloves garlic, chopped

6 cups water

2 cans (14 oz) chicken broth (or homemade)

2 cans (14 oz) diced tomatoes

1 1/2 bags (16 oz) lentils, picked over and rinsed

Heat oil in a large pot, then add kielbasa (divide if necessary).  Cook until brown, then then transfer to plate.

Add onion, celery and carrots to pot and cook until golden.  Add garlic and cook another minute.  Add water, broth, tomatoes and lentils to pot and bring to boil.  Reduce to medium-low and cook uncovered for about 40 minutes, or until lentils are tender.  Stir in kielbasa and heat through.  Serve.

Serves 10.

Thanks Mel for an awesome, flavorful recipe!