Cheesecake

Cheesecake by Melissa Corry
3 STEP CHEESECAKE
2 packages (8 oz) cream cheese
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 ready-to-use graham cracker crumb crust
MIX cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs; mix until blended.
POUR into crust.
BAKE at 350 for 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 3 hours.

VARIATIONS:
Chocolate Lovers Cheesecake – Melt 4 squares of semi-sweet chocolate. Blend with cream cheese mixture after the eggs have been blended.
Luscious Lemon Cheesecake – Add 1 tbsp of fresh lemon juice and ½ teaspoon grated lemon peel with the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cheesecake – Add 1/3 cup of peanut butter with the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. After blending eggs stir in ¾ cup of mini chocolate chips.
Pumpkin Layer Cheesecake – After batter is completed set 1 cup aside. Pour remaining into crust. Add ½ cup canned pumpkin, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, a dash of cloves, and a dash of nutmeg to the 1 cup of batter. Stir. Pour over cream cheese batter.
Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake – After pouring batter into crust dot top of cheesecake with 3 tbsp of melted raspberry preserves. Cut through batter with knife for marble effect.
White Chocolate Almond Cheesecake – Add 4 squares of chopped white baking chocolate to mixture. Pour into crust. Sprinkle top with ½ cup chopped almonds and 2 more squares of chopped white baking chocolate.
Fruit Topped Cheesecake – After cheesecake has been refrigerated top with 2 cups of sliced fresh fruit and drizzle with 2 tbsp of heated strawberry jelly.
Toffee Crunch Cheesecake – After blending eggs stir in ¾ cup of chopped toffee bars. Pour into crust and then sprinkle top with ¼ cup of chopped toffee bars.
White Chocolate Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake – Stir in 3 squares of melted white baking chocolate with cream cheese mixture. Pour into crust. Microwave 3 tbsp of raspberry preserves till melted. Dot top of cheesecake with jam and cut with knife for swirl effect.
Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake – After pouring batter into crust dot top of cheesecake with 4 tbsp of melted chocolate chips. Cut through batter with knife for marble effect.
Snickers Cheesecake – After blending eggs stir in ¾ cup of chopped snickers bars. Pour into crust and then sprinkle top with ¼ cup of chopped snickers bars.
Peanut Butter Passion Cheesecake – Add 1/3 cup of peanut butter with the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. After blending eggs stir in ¾ cup of chopped peanut butter cups. Pour into crust and then sprinkle top with ¼ cup of chopped peanut butter cups.

AUTUMN CHEESECAKE
CRUST
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup finely chopped pecans
¼ cup butter or margarine, melted
3 tablespoons sugar

FILLING
2 packages, 8oz, cream cheese
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs

TOPPING
1/3 cup sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 cups sliced peeled apples
¼ cup finely chopped pecans

Crust – MIX crumbs, pecans, sugar, cinnamon, and butter. Press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 325 for 10 minutes.
Filling – MIX cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, mixing on low speed just until blended. Pour over crust.
Topping – MIX sugar and cinnamon; toss with apples. Spoon apple mixture over cream cheese layer; sprinkle with pecans. BAKE at 325 for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; Refrigerate for 4 hours. Remove rim from pan and serve.

BROWNIE BOTTOM CHEESECAKE
1 package brownie mix
3 packages cream cheese
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup sour cream
3 eggs
PREPARE and bake brownie mix as directed on package for 9 inch square pan in bottom of well-greased 9-inch springform pan.
MIX cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Blend in sour cream. Add eggs, and blend. Pour over brownie crust.
BAKE at 325 for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; Refrigerate for 4 hours. Remove rim from pan and serve.