AMAZING BEST EVER CHEESECAKES

A friend shared this recipe in a church cookbook our area published about 5 years ago.  I had a favorite cheesecake that we had made for years, but after making hers, it's now become my favorite!  What makes it my favorite isn't just the creamy, moist, smooth cheesecake itself, but the crust--or should I say the lack of crust.  It actually has a tender, light crust.  And the process of getting that crust is what makes it amazing--all you do is add 1/2 cup Bisquick to the mixture, and a wonderful, thin crust makes itself on the bottom of the cheesecake.  I know you'll really love this recipe--as we did!  Umm...good!

AMAZING BEST EVER CHEESECAKE (Marilyn)

2 (8-oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup Bisquick

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Beat cream cheese until smooth.  Add remaining ingredients, and beat until smooth.  Pour into a greased 9X1 1/4-inch pie plate.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Cool for 3 hours.

MIX TOGETHER:

1 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 can canned cherry pie filling (or 1 qt pie cherries, thickened and cooled)

Mix together first three ingredients.  Spread over top of cheesecake.  (Or, if you aren't a fan of sour cream, this step can easily be eliminated).  Serve with a generous spoonful of cherry pie filling.  NOTE:  You can also spread the pie filling over the entire cheesecake and keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve.  

I just had to add this alternative recipe, given to me recently by a dear friend.  Her recipe for PHILADELPHIA 3-STEP WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE, is a sure winner as well!  The white chocolate adds a rich, creamy smoothness to the cheesecake, and the white chocolate on top makes for a beautiful presentation.  ENJOY!

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE (Shirley)
2 8-oz. pkg cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
4 squares white baking chocolate, chopped and divided
OR
2/3 cup white chocolate chips, divided
1 8 or 9-inch prepared pie crust (graham cracker or chocolate)
Mix softened cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth.  Blend in eggs; Stir in chocolate.  Pour into prepared pie crust.  Sprinkle with the rest of the white chocolate.  (She mentions that the chocolate can be shaved into curls and that they will pretty-much keep their shape during baking).  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until set.  Do NOT OVERCOOK!  Cool before eating.  Can be eaten as-is, or topped with your favorite fruit pie fillings--blueberry, raspberry, cherry, peach or strawberry would be especially good!  NOTE:  She also says she has made this and added all the white chocolate in the cheesecake before baking and it was good.