Pumpkin Cheesecake

Gingersnap Crust:
Gingersnaps and Butter (ratio 15 cookies to ¼ c. butter)

Filling:
16 oz. cream cheese, at room temp
1 c. sugar
1 c. nonfat cottage cheese
1⅓ c. canned pumpkin
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp flour
¼ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp ground cloves
pumpkin spice, to taste
6 egg whites

Preheat oven to 325. Lightly grease a 8 or 9 inch spring form pan.

Crust:

In a food processor/blender grind the gingersnaps until crumbly. Mix with melted butter and press to the bottom and edges of spring form pan. Bake for 10 minutes and remove.

Filling:

Beat cream cheese and sugar until blended. In a food processor, puree the cottage cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the pumpkin, cottage cheese, vanilla, flour and spices to the cream cheese mixture and blend well. Add the egg whites until blended. ** Add the pumpkin spice to taste, I also added some extra of the other spices to taste)

Bake 80 minutes, or until the cheesecake puffs and the center is almost set. (***To avoid cracking while baking, on the bottom shelf place a broiling pan, or glass casserole dish and fill with water, this helps create more moisture in the over to keep the cheesecake from cracking) Transfer to a wire rack and cool.

Serve with fresh whipped cream!