Pumpkin Cheesecake

"What we're really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving?"
- Erma Bombeck

Preheat oven to 325'
On the bottom rack place a 13" x 9" roasting pan
filled halfway with water

Use a 10" spring form pan

Crust - 40 Gingersnap cookies, crumbled
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
Mix the ingredients together and press into the spring form pan to make the crust.

Filling - Beat for 3 minutes
3 (8 oz.) packages of softened cream cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar

Then beat in: 1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 cup flour
1 Tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice

Gradually beat in: 6 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Pour filling into crust. Bake in the center of the oven for 1 hour 20 minutes or until edges are golden and middle is set. Turn off the oven and let stand in oven for 30 minutes. Then cool completely, cover and refrigerate overnight. Best made the day before.