Pumpkin Caramel Cheesecake.... Yea I went there :)

This will impress your family and friends! Add in the fact it's sugar free/low fat - What could be better?


2 boxes 1/3 fat cream cheese - bring to room temperature
2 eggs
1/2 cup Splenda
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup pumpkin
1/2 - 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Sugar Free Caramel topping (Smuckers is one brand)


Graham cracker pie shell or pie shell of your choice


Beat the cream cheese until soft. Add eggs, vanilla and splenda individually until mixed well. Remove one cup of batter and set aside. Pour the remaining batter into the pie shell. Drizzle about 2 Tablespoons of the caramel topping on this. Add the pumpkin, reserved batter and spice together and mix well. Pour this on top of the caramel topping.  It's sometimes a good idea to put the first layer in the refrigerator for about a 1/2 hour so the top layer doesnt mix into it. (if you have time - if not just be careful when you pour it)

Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Don't overbake. Remove when the center is still a little jiggly.

Happy 4th of July!

For those who have served and are still serving and to the families that support them....

THANK YOU!!

We have a pretty uneventful 4th.Scored 10 lbs of apples for 5 bucks at our farmers market. Will have to come up with a recipe for these. I wanted to share the dessert recipe I'm taking to a picnic tonight. (No apples in this one :) )

~No Bake Pineapple/Peach Cheesecake~

I wanted to call this Pee-Pee Pie, but thought twice.

1/2 cup almond meal

2 cups sugar free cookies (I used the Joseph's Pecan Shortbread)

1/2 stick of butter, melted

1/4 cup splenda

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1 can crushed pineapple (in it's own juice) - juice strained and fruit squeezed dry to within an inch of it's life

-2 8oz packages light cream cheese, softened to room temp

-1/2 cup splenda

-1 sleeve of sugar free instant jello pudding for one (OK, not sure if you need the pudding mix, but I was paranoid it wasnt going to set up, so I threw it in. I'm sure it would be fine without. If you are a confident, self-assured person - leave it out)

-1 16 oz container Cool-Whip (I use sugar free, but there are a million other versions and they all basically have the same stats... not sure if it matters which you use)

Crush cookies in blender and add to rest of crust ingredients. Press into either two pie plates or a flat casserolle. I think a 9 x 11 pan would be too big. The one I used is about 7 x 10. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes and let cool. * you could skip all this and get a graham cracker crust.

With a mixer, blend cream cheese and splenda, add pudding and blend some more. Add pineapple and mix in by hand. Fold in cool whip by hand. Spread onto cooled crust and refrigerate.

IF YOU ARENT FAINT OF HEART and are channelling your inner Martha.... Then you can make the peachy glaze to go on top. You can also stop right here.

Use the juice of the pineapple you drained, heat on stove top with corn starch (start with 1 1/2 tsp and go from there) and some splenda to taste. Bring to a very slow boil, stirring constantly. Sprinkle 1/2 envelope of SF orange jello. When thickened, take off heat and add in some canned cut up peaches. Let cool slightly and put glaze over top the pie. This is really pretty and good.