"TANTALIZING PUMPKIN SWIRL CHEESECAKE"

The 'Decadent Diva' is feeling a little 'nutty' by getting into the holiday spirit with this rich cheesecake for that very special pumpkin aficionado in your life! The recipe can also be found on the 'Kraft' website but since my good friend 'Melissa' was kind enough to share this little with us I thought we'd appropriately name it 'Melissa's Tantalizing Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake'! Bonn appetite and enjoy!

"MELISSA'S TANTALIZING PUMPKIN SWIRL CHEESECAKE"

Ingredients:
25 NABISCO Ginger Snaps, finely crushed (about 1-1/2 cups)
1/2 cup finely chopped PLANTERS Pecans
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup sugar, divided
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
Dash ground cloves

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 325°F if using a silver 9-inch springform pan (or to 300°F if using a dark nonstick 9-inch springform pan). Mix ginger snap crumbs, pecans and butter; press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of pan. Line 13x9-inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Prepare cheesecake as directed.

BEAT cream cheese, 3/4 cup of the sugar and the vanilla with electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Remove 1-1/2 cups of the batter; place in small bowl. Stir remaining 1/4 cup sugar, the pumpkin and spices into remaining batter. Spoon half of the pumpkin batter into crust; top with spoonfuls of half of the reserved plain batter. Repeat layers. Cut through batters with knife several times for marble effect.

BAKE 55 min. to 1 hour 5 min. or until center is almost set. (Test doneness by gently shaking the pan. If the cheesecake is done, it will be set except for an approximately 2-1/2-inch area in the center that will be soft and jiggly.) Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Store leftovers in refrigerator.