Remember to unlock the door before you close it……

Rick and I heard some loud thumping. We assumed it was one of our sons building something (they both have grown up to be in the construction business) in the basement.  After awhile the pounding got more persistent and we figured perhaps they were having a ‘brotherly’ argument and one had locked the other out.  Either way we ignored it until it became so persistent we figured we’d better figure out what was going on.

Rick went downstairs and I went outside.  We both returned not finding either of the boys nor the source of the noise.  When we sat back down, it started again! This time we went upstairs looking for the source.  When I went upstairs I still heard the pounding but didn’t see any people! I knocked on our guests door but didn’t get an answer… so I went to the balcony on the adjoining room.

As soon as I opened the door our guests said ”Oh thank goodness, we locked ourselves out here“.  She had on a housecoat but I noticed his shoulders were bare. It was starting to drizzle so I passed them a couple of towels and went to get the key.

I opened the door and the gentleman was standing wrapped in the two towels.  His wife was laughing and said “For years I’ve told him he was going to get caught without his clothes on and it has happened on our 25th anniversary.”

She went on to say “I remembered as soon as I heard the door click shut that you had said “Remember to unlock the door before you close it…..” Fortunately for them we heard the pounding, and fortunately for me the balconies are separated. I had no idea he was on the other side stark naked and freezing!

Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake

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What you’ll need:

Combine for the crust:

* 1 ½ Cups Pecans – chopped fine in blender (do not make pecan butter!)
* 3 Tablespoons Sugar
* 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
* ½ Cup Margarine

For the Filling:

* 16 oz. Cream Cheese
* 2/3 Cup Sugar
* 1 Cup canned Pumpkin
* ½ Cup Sour Cream
* ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
* ¼ teaspoon Ginger
* ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
* 4 Eggs – to be added one at a time

What you do:

1. Preheat oven to 350oF

2. Press crust ingredients into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan.

Crushed Pecans for a Gluten Free Crust

Pecan Based Crust - Nutty and Delicious

3. Bake crust at 350oF for 10 minutes.

4. Remove and set aside to cool.

5. Turn oven down to 300oF.

6. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese and sugar on High-Medium speed until well blended.

7. Add the pumpkin, sour cream, nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon. Mix well.

8. Finally, add one egg at a time. Mix well in between the addition of each new egg.

9. Pour mixture onto cooled pecan base and bake for 60 minutes.

10. Remove from oven and let cool for an hour. Then refrigerate for two hours before removing from the pan.

11. Top with Whipped Cream and Whole Pecans.

TIP: Make sugared pecans! To do this, add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar to a 1/2 cup of pecans in a sauce pan. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes or until the sugar melts and coats the pecans. Stir constantly to ensure the sugar does not burn. Remove from the pan and place on tin foil to cool before using to top the whipped cream on the cheesecake. DELICIOUS!