SOUTHWEST CHEESECAKE

SOUTHWEST CHEESECAKE

1 cup finely crushed tortilla chips
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
2 packages (8 ounces ea) cream cheese, softened
1 packet taco seasoning
2 eggs
1 package shredded Colby/Monterey Jack cheese
1 can (4 ounce) chopped green chilies, drained
1 cup sour cream
1 cup chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced green onion
1/3 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup pitted ripe olive slices

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Stir in chips and butter in small bowl; press into 9-inch spring form pan.
• Bake 15 minutes.
• Beat cream cheese and eggs in large mixing bowl at medium speed until well blended.
• Mix in shredded cheese and chilies; pour over crust and bake 30 minutes.
• Spread sour cream over cheesecake.
• Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool before removing rim of pan.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve at least 30 minutes.
• Top with remaining ingredients just before serving.
• Optional: add 1/2 packet of taco seasoning with the cheese and chilies if you want a bit more spice.

LEMON CHEESECAKE

LEMON CHEESECAKE
3/4 C graham cracker crumbs
2 T sugar
1 T ground cinnamon
1 T butter or margarine, softened
5 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened
1-2/3 C sugar
5 eggs
1/8 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 C lemon juice

• Combine first 3 ingredients, stir well and set aside.
• Grease bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan with butter.
• Add crumb mixture; tilt pan to coat sides and bottom.
• Chill.
• Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy; gradually add 1-2/3 cups sugar, beating well at high speed.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Stir in salt, vanilla, and lemon juice; pour mixture into prepared crust.
• Bake at 300 degrees F. for 1 hour and 20 minutes. (Center may be soft but will set when chilled.)
• Cool on a wire rack; cover and chill 8 hours.
• 10 servings.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND CHEESECAKE

CHOCOLATE ALMOND CHEESECAKE

1-1/2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted and chopped
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup amaretto or other almond flavored liqueur
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 (16 oz) carton sour cream
1 tbs sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

• Combine first 4 ingredients; firmly press onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of a 9-inch spring form pan.
• Set aside.
• Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating well.
• Add liqueur, almond extract, and 1 tsp vanilla; beat well.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Pour into prepared crust.
• Bake at 375 degrees F. for 50 minutes; remove from oven, and let stand 5 minutes (center will be soft).
• Combine sour cream, 1 tbs sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla; spread evenly on cheesecake.
• Bake at 500 degrees F. for 5 minutes.
• Remove to a wire rack; let cool completely.
• Cover and chill 8 hours.
• Before serving, remove sides of pan, and press 1/2 cup slivered almonds around top edge of cheesecake.
• 10 to 12 servings.

LAYERED VEGETABLE CHEESECAKE

LAYERED VEGETABLE CHEESECAKE

1-1/3 cups dry breadcrumbs
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 (8 oz) pkgs Neufchatel cheese, softened
2 large eggs
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
8 oz sour cream
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
3/4 cup shredded carrot
3/4 cup diced green pepper
3/4 cup diced sweet red pepper
Cucumber dill sauce
Cucumber Dill Sauce:
8 oz plain yogurt
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped, unpeeled cucumber
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried whole dillweed

• Combine breadcrumbs and butter; press on bottom and 1 inch up sides of a 9-inch spring form pan.
• Set aside.
• Beat cheese at high speed of an electric mixer until fluffy.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Add flour and next four ingredients; beat until blended.
• Pour about 1/4 of cream cheese mixture into prepared pan; sprinkle with carrot.
• Top with 1/3 remaining cream cheese mixture; sprinkle with green pepper.
• Top with 1/2 of remaining cream cheese mixture; top with red pepper.
• Top with remaining cream cheese mixture.
• Bake at 300 degrees F. for 1 hour or until set.
• Turn oven off, and partially open oven door; leave cheesecake in oven 1 hour.
• Remove from oven and let cool completely.
• Cover and chill.
• Combine all ingredients of Cucumber dill sauce, stirring well.
• Cover and chill.
• Serve cheesecake with Cucumber dill sauce.
• Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

COCONUT CHEESECAKE

I am not a big fan of coconut, but some people love it.

COCONUT CHEESECAKE

2 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup cream of coconut
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 prepackaged 9-inch graham cracker crust
1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
1/2 cup toasted shredded coconut

• Mix cream cheese, cream of coconut, sugar, and vanilla at medium speed of electric mixer until blended; add eggs.
• Mix until blended; pour into crust.
• Bake at 350 degrees F. for 40 minutes or until center is almost set.
• Cool.
• Refrigerate 3 hour or overnight.
• Top with thawed frozen whipped topping and toasted coconut.

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

2- 8 0z. packages cream cheese softened
1 cup melted white chocolate
2 eggs well beaten
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups sour cream
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 9 inch deep dish graham cracker pie crust

• Combine cream cheese, sugar, eggs, vanilla and almond extract together and beat until smooth, add sour cream and blend.
• Pour into pie crust and bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes or until set.
• cool
• chill overnight

EASY FUDGE TRUFFLE CHEESECAKE

EASY FUDGE TRUFFLE CHEESECAKE
Chocolate Crumb Crust (recipes follow)
2 cups (a 12ounce package) semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 packages (8-ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed (NOT evaporated milk)
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• Heat oven to 300 degrees.
• Prepare Chocolate Crumb Crust; set aside.
• In a heavy pan, over very low heat, melt chocolate, stirring constantly.
• In large mixer bowl, beat cheese until fluffy.
• Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth.
• Add melted chocolate and remaining ingredients, mix well.
• Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake 1 hour and 5 minutes or until center is set.
• Cool; chill. Refrigerate leftovers.

Chocolate Crumb Crust:

• In medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups crushed vanilla wafers, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa and 1/3 cup melted butter.
• Press firmly on bottom of 9-inch spring form pan.
• OR for a less sweet crust, combine 1 1/2 cups crushed chocolate wafers with 1/3 cup melted butter and press firmly on bottom of 9-inch spring form pan.