pumpkin swirl cheesecake

Hey all! hope your thanksgiving preparations are going smoothly. Mine is the above
Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake. Yum. It's one of my favorites, and I really only make it on Thanksgiving. :)
I promised that I'd share the recipe for those interested, so here goes. It's slightly modified from one that I picked up on the Kraft Foods Website 3 years ago.
Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

2 3/4 c. coarsely chopped ginger snaps
3 T. sugar
4 T. melted butter

 Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Toss to combine and press into a 9" springform pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes in the preheated oven.

3 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese (softened)
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs (room temp.) ~ shh... that's a baker's secret!!

Beat the cream cheese. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat again. Add eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl between each addition. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the batter. To the remainder, add:

1 c. canned pumpkin
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
dash of cloves
(I really mix this very little with the mixer, it's easier to blend in by hand.)

Spoon half of the pumpkin batter into the crust, then dot with half of the plain. Repeat the layers. Cut through the batters with a butter knife to swirl.

Bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes in a waterbath. Cool at room temp for around 8 hours before storing in the fridge.

Tomorrow, I'll take it out and top with homemade whipped cream. :D Yum, yum!! Enjoy!