Pumpkin Marble Cheesecake

1 ½ cups graham crumbs
1 Tbsp sugar
¼ cup butter, melted
½ cup finely chopped pecans (optional)
2 – 8oz pkgs. Cream cheese
¾ cup sugar
3 eggs
½ cup sour cream
1 tsp VE vanilla
2 Tbsp finely diced VE Crystallized Ginger
1 cup pumpkin puree
¾ tsp VE Cinnamon
¼ tsp each of VE Ginger and VE Nutmeg
Or you could substitute with VE Pumpkin Pie Spice

Mix crumbs, Tbsp sugar, melted butter, and pecans; press into bottom of 9” springform pan. Bake @ 350F for 5 mins. Remove.

In large bowl, beat cream cheese with ½ cup of the sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, beat in sour cream and vanilla. Remove 1 ½ cups of mixture and add the crystallized ginger to the batter you have removed. Set aside.

To remaining batter, blend in remaining sugar, pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Pour over baked crust. Using large spoon, add dollops of reserved light-colored batter; swirl together with knife.

Bake in 350F oven for 60 – 70 mins, or until puffed and no longer shiny in center. Allow to cool at room temperature. Chill for a few hours before serving.

Lemon Ginger Bars
Makes 40 pieces

Base:
1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
1 cup icing sugar
1 cup cold butter, cut into 1/2” pieces

Filling:
6 eggs
2 ½ cups white sugar
2 tbsp lemon zest
1 cup lemon juice
½ cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup finely diced VE Crystallized Ginger

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. In food processor, fitted with metal blade, pulse flour with icing sugar. Add butter and pulse until coarse crumbs result and dough just starts to clump together.
3. Press into 9 x 13” baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes, until firm and lightly golden. Let cool on rack. Reduce oven temperature to 300F.
4. Prepare filling by whisking eggs with sugar. Whisk in remaining ingredients. Pour over bake base. With fork, gently stir filing to evenly distribute diced VE Crystallized Ginger.
5. Bake 40 – 45 minutes, or until filling is set in centre. Cool to room temperature.6. Cover and chill thoroughly in refrigerator before cutting into bars.

Gingered Carrot Soup
Serves 4

1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb carrots, peeled, and cut in chunks
2 cups low-fat chicken broth
2 tbsp finely diced VE Crystallized Ginger
1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 ½ cups orange juice
½ cup half-and-half cream
VE Sea Salt & VE White Pepper, to taste
1 tsp VE Chives for garnish

1. In a large saucepan, cook onions in olive oil until soft.
2. Add carrots, chicken broth, VE Crystallized Ginger and VE Pumpkin Pie Spice.
3. Simmer for 25 – 30 minutes or until carrots are tender. Transfer to blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
4. Return mixture to saucepan. Add orange juice and cream. Heat to steaming, season to taste with VE Sea Salt and VE White Pepper.
5. Serve immediately. Sprinkle each with VE Chives.

Gingered Carrot Soup
Serves 4

1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb carrots, peeled, and cut in chunks
2 cups low-fat chicken broth
2 tbsp finely diced VE Crystallized Ginger
1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 ½ cups orange juice
½ cup half-and-half cream
VE Sea Salt & VE White Pepper, to taste
1 tsp VE Chives for garnish

1. In a large saucepan, cook onions in olive oil until soft.
2. Add carrots, chicken broth, VE Crystallized Ginger and VE Pumpkin Pie Spice.
3. Simmer for 25 – 30 minutes or until carrots are tender. Transfer to blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
4. Return mixture to saucepan. Add orange juice and cream. Heat to steaming, season to taste with VE Sea Salt and VE White Pepper.
5. Serve immediately. Sprinkle each with VE Chives.

Ginger Whipped Cream
Makes 2 cups

Serve with warm gingerbread, on apple or pear desserts, or as a decadent topping for a warm brownie.

1 cup whipping cream
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 tbsp finely diced VE Crystallized Ginger

1. Beat whipping cream and brown sugar in a medium bowl until peaks form.
2. Fold in VE Crystallized Ginger. Serve immediately.

Maple Ginger Topping
Makes ¾ cup

A delicious dip for pears and applies, or a great topping for warm fruit crumbles.

¼ cup cream cheese
1 tbsp VE Maple Popcorn Seasoning
½ cup plain yogurt
1 tbsp finely diced VE Crystallized Ginger

1. Using a wooden spoon, beat cream cheese with VE Maple Popcorn Seasoning.
2. Stir in yogurt and VE Crystallized Ginger.

Chocolate Dipped Ginger
Approx 24 pieces

½ cup VE Belgian Chocolate, melted
24 pieces VE Crystallized Ginger

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Brush away an excess sugar from ginger.
3. Dip each piece of VE Crystallized Ginger half way into melted VE Belgian Chocolate.
4. Place on prepared baking sheet and let harden at room temperature for 1 hour.

Mulled Cranapple Juice with Crystallized Ginger
Serves 8

This is a heart-warming (and hand warming!) beverage for cooler weather. It has a wonderful aroma and a beautiful color.

3 cups apple juice
3 cups cranberry juice
2 tbsp diced VE Crystallized Ginger
¼ cup honey (for sweeten to taste)
¼ cup VE Mulling Spices

1. Place all ingredients in multi pot.
2. Simmer gently for 10 minutes. Serve immediately in heated mugs.