Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake

As soon as I saw this on the cover of November's Southern Living magazine, I knew it would be on our Thanksgiving dessert table. If you're not a fan of pumpkin, you may substitute sweet potatoes instead. Awesome!

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
5 T. butter, melted
3 T. light brown sugar
4 (8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened)
1 cup granuated sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
1 1/2 T. lemon juice
Praline Topping

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Stir together first 4 ingredients in a bowl until well blended. Press mixture on bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides up a 9 inch springform pan. Bake 8 - 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Beat cream cheese and next two ingredients at medium speed with heavy-duty mixer until blended and smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add pumpkin and lemon juice, beating until blended. Pour batter into prepared crust. Pan will be very full.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes or until almost set. Turn oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven, with door closed, 15 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven and gently run a knife around outer edge of cheesecake to loosen from sides of pan. DO NOT remove sides of pan. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Cover and chill 8 - 24 hours. 

Remove sides and bottom of pan and transfer to a serving plate. Prepare praline topping. Immediately pour slowly over top of cheesecake, spreading to 1/4 inch of edge.

Praline Topping:

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup butter

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

1 t. vanilla extract

Bring first three ingredients to a boil in a 1 quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring often. Boil, stirring occasionally, 1 minute, remove from heat. Gradually whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Let stand 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. Use immediately.