Here is a good recipe that we have had on various/numerious occasions. It's from the glory days of Bon Appetit magazine, before they became quite so hoity-toity (how many people really take a float plane to a secluded beach in order to enjoy a picnic...). I had it typed out for my little brother anyway, so here it is...

Pumpkin Cheescake in Pecan Crust
Note that the cake must be chilled overnight

12 servings

CRUST
1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
3/4 cup ground pecans
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar

FILLING
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups canned solid pack pumpkin
1 1/2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3 large eggs

1/2 cup chopped pecans

FOR CRUST: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all ingredients in medium bowl and stir until moist clumps form. Press mixture onto bottom and 1-inch up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Refrigerate crust while preparing filling.

FOR FILLING: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth. Add pumpkin, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and cloves and beat until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Pour batter into crust (batter will extend above top of crust). Bake cheesecake until top is golden and center is softly set, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Transfer pan to rack. Cool completely. Cover and chill overnight. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)

Using small knife, cut around sides of pan to loosen cake. Remove pan sides. Garnish cake with pecans and serve.

Bon Appetit,Nov. 1996