Pumpkin Cheesecake

1 1/2 cups Pecan Sandy shortbread cookies, ground fine
3 Tb butter or margarine, melted
3 8-oz packages of cream cheese, softened room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
3/4 tsp Vanilla
1 1/3 cups plus 2 Tb of Pumpkin puree
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mid together Pecan Sandies crumbs and butter. Press firmly into bottom of a 10 inch springform pan.

Whip cream cheese in a mixer bowl; gradually add sugar; then eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and salt. Mix well, then add to cream cheese mixture. Pour filling over crust. Bake 50 minutes, then check every 5 minutes after that. Cake is ready when the center looks slightly wet and wiggles just slightly when moved, but it is dry to the touch. Remove from oven and let stand until cool. Refrigerate over night to set. Remove side of springform pan when ready to serve.