Pumpkin and Spice and Everything Nice

Mmmmm....is there anything better than a pumpkin spice latte when you're in the mood for something hot to drink on a cool autumn night? I LOVE hot tea, but when the fall arrives I start thinking about Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice Lattes.

But there's a problem...

They're like $6 bucks each, and so full of calories that I feel bad drinking them. So this year I decided to find a homemade substitute that would be just as yummy, and maybe a little healthier. I found a recipe, and I tried it. It was ok, but it needed some tweaking. After making it a couple of times, I came up with this yummy recipe. (Pretty, aren't they?!)

PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE
2 cups skim milk (you can use whole or 2%, but the skim is good in it and it cuts calories)
4 Tbs pureed pumpkin
4 Tbs sugar (you may have to add more if you like your lattes really sweet)
2 Tbs vanilla (no, that is NOT a typo...it really is Tablespoons)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp nutmeg
pinch of ginger
3/4 cup strong coffee
whipped cream

Put milk, pumpkin, sugar, vanilla, spices and coffee in a pan on the stove and whisk until well combined. Stir over medium heat with a whisk until it reaches your desired temperature. I like mine just short of boiling. Turn off heat, and ladle into large mugs. Top generously with low-fat whipped cream, and dust with cinnamon.

Yield: 2 servings

Can it get any better? Maybe....

But how?

Maybe if you eat it with a slice of Pumpkin Harvest Cheesecake?! (This has become a family favorite for Thanksgiving!)

PUMPKIN HARVEST CHEESECAKE
Crust:
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 Tbs brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 stick melted butter or margarine

Filling:
24 oz. cream cheese
15 oz. pumpkin
3 whole eggs + 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves
2 Tbs flour
1 tsp vanilla

Mix graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and cinnamon directly in the bottom of a 9" springform pan. Pour in melted butter, mix and press down into bottom, making sure to get edges. Mix filling ingredients with a mixer until smooth. Pour into crust. Bake at 350 degrees until knife comes out clean (usually about an hour or a little more). Let stand 15 minutes to cool. Cover and refridgerate for 4 hours.

I hope that you enjoy these recipes. I'm thinking I need something hot to drink right now. Hmmm...wonder what I'll have???