Thanksgiving Week

We'll only be cooking 2 days this week since we're going up to my parents for Thanksgiving. They've put me in charge of the desserts and I'm thinking about making this:

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE PIE

Pastry Dough:
1 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
4 tablespoon(s) cold butter or margarine, cut into pieces
4 tablespoon(s) shortening
5 tablespoon(s) (or more if needed) ice water

Cheesecake Filling:
1 package(s) (8-ounce) reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), softened
1/2 cup(s) granulated sugar
1/4 cup(s) (packed) brown sugar
1 can(s) (15-ounce) pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon(s) ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon(s) ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
3 large eggs
1/2 cup(s) heavy or whipping cream
2 tablespoon(s) molasses
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract

Directions
Prepare Pastry Dough: In large bowl, combine flour and salt. With pastry blender or using two knives scissors-fashion, cut in the butter and shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Sprinkle in ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing lightly with fork after each addition, until dough is just moist enough to hold together. Shape dough into disk; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes or overnight. (If chilled overnight, let stand 15 minutes at room temperature before rolling.)

On lightly floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll dough into 14-inch round. Gently ease dough into 9 1/2-inch deep-dish ceramic or glass pie plate, gently pressing dough against side and bottom of plate. Trim dough edge, leaving 1-inch overhang. Fold overhang under; pinch to form high decorative edge. Refrigerate pie shell until firm, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line pie shell with foil and fill with pie weights, dry beans, or uncooked rice. Bake pie shell 15 to 20 minutes or until set. Remove foil and weights and bake 5 to 8 minutes longer or until shell is golden. If shell puffs up during baking, gently press it down with back of spoon. Reset oven control to 350 degrees F.

Meanwhile, prepare Cheesecake Filling: In large bowl, with mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese and sugars until smooth. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt; beat until blended, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Add eggs, cream, molasses, and vanilla; beat until well blended, occasionally scraping bowl. Pour filling into hot pie shell.
Bake pie 40 to 45 minutes or until filling is puffed and set at edges but still jiggles slightly in center. Cool pie completely on wire rack, then cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours or until firm and well chilled.

And of course of delicious APPLE PIE:

Meradith Viera's Apple Pie

INGREDIENTS
• Apples - any combination, but Granny Smith and Macs are preferred
• Egg whites
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. apple pie spice (or allspice, cinnamon, mace)
• Butter
• Egg yolks
• Prepared pie crust

DIRECTIONS
Prepare pie crust, put in pie plate.
Brush crust with beaten egg white and set aside.
Peel and cut up apples in chunks and fill up crust. Put sugar and apple pie spice on top of apples.
Put one pat of butter, cut into 4 pieces, on top of apples. Put crust on top.
Mix egg yolks with a little bit of milk and brush on top.
Cut slits in crust.
Bake 10 minutes at 400 degrees and 30 minutes at 350.
Serve.

Oooh, I'm so excited for Thanksgiving!