A Holiday Pumpkin Cheesecake From Executive Inn

Dear SOS: The Executive Inn at the Best Western in Tacoma, Wash., serves the best pumpkin cheesecake I’ve ever tasted. Is there a way you can get the recipe?

--A READER

Dear Reader: Surely can. And thank you. We predict that this dessert will make it on the favorite holiday dessert list for many of our readers. Wait and see.

EXECUTIVE INN PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

2 pounds cream cheese

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 cup whipping cream

2 (1-pound) cans pumpkin

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

Graham Cracker Crust

Sour Cream Topping

Blend cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended. Add whipping cream, pumpkin, vanilla and spice, blending thoroughly.

Pour into Graham Cracker Crust. Bake at 300 degrees 1 1/2 hours or until cake sets. Remove and let rest 10 minutes, then pour Sour Cream Topping over cheesecake. Cool thoroughly before removing from pan. Chill. Makes 1 (10-inch) cheesecake.

Graham Cracker Crust

1 teaspoon soft butter

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup melted butter

Brush 10-inch springform pan with butter. Mix crumbs, cinnamon, sugar and melted butter. Press onto bottom of pan.

Sour Cream Topping

1 pound sour cream

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

Blend sour cream, sugar and vanilla until smooth.

Dear SOS: I took my favorite Gate of Spain Gazpacho recipe with me to the store so I wouldn’t forget the ingredients, and somehow lost it. Do you happen to have it?

--JOAN

Dear Joan: Don’t worry. We still have it. The recipe was from a restaurant that once operated in Santa Monica.

GATE OF SPAIN GAZPACHO

1 (1-pound 14-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, diced

1 (46-ounce) can tomato juice

1 cup red wine vinegar

1 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cumin

Dash mace

3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced

2 green peppers, minced

1 medium cucumber, peeled and minced

3 to 4 stalks celery, minced

1 avocado, peeled, seeded, minced

1 medium onion, minced

Salt

12 unpeeled cucumber slices

Combine tomatoes, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, Worcestershire, black pepper, cumin, mace, garlic, green peppers, minced cucumber, celery, avocado and onion. Season to taste with salt. Mix well and chill several hours. Garnish each serving with 1 cucumber slice. Serve with small toasted garlic croutons, if desired. Makes 12 servings.

Dear SOS: My husband has become addicted to frozen yogurt in any flavor. A number of factors make buying a franchise out of the question, so I’d love to have a recipe either for the one-gallon electric freezer or the two-cup models presently in vogue.

--MRS. J.E.F.

Dear Mrs. J.E.F.: How about a three-cup size? You can reduce or increase the recipe if you like.

SOFT HOME-STYLE FROZEN YOGURT

1 pint whole-milk yogurt

4 to 6 tablespoons fruit preserves (quantity depends on types of preserves)

1/4 cup light corn syrup

Combine yogurt, preserves and corn syrup. Mix thoroughly. Chill 2 to 3 hours. Freeze according to directions given for ice cream maker. Makes 3 cups.