Mini Cheesecakes

My girlfriend in Michigan gave me this recipe years ago. So easy and fun to take it to special events. Thanks Jody!

Tastes & Treasures cookbook has a great cheesecake recipe on page 170. Try that one too.

Ingredients:

• 2 8-ounce packages of low-fat cream cheese
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• Dash of lemon zest
• Mini Nilla Wafers (regular kind Not reduced fat)
• 1 can cherry pie filling

Preparation:

1. Soften cream cheese to room temperature. 
2. Mix together cream cheese, sugar, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest until smooth with an electric mixer.
3. Line up mini baking cups and place a mini Nilla Wafer face-up inside each one.
4. Scoop mixture onto wafer, filling cup 3/4 full.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
6. Refrigerate. Once chilled, scoop cherry pie filling atop each mini cheesecake. Chill again.

Options: Other pie fillings work well too. We love blueberry.

Chocolate Version of Pumpkin Pie Cake

The following is Bonnie Newhoff's version -
"It is pretty much the same recipe but substituting two cans of cherry pie filling, the kind with the extra cherries, and using chocolate cake instead. I add a little almond extract to the cherry filling, a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of cinnamon to freshen it and then after the dry chocolate cake mix and butter, sprinkle chocolate chips over all instead of nuts. The baking time is the same."

PUMPKIN PIE CAKE
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 can ( 30 ounces) pumpkin pie filling mix (must use flavored pie filling,
not pure pumpkin)
1 box (about 18 ounces) yellow cake mix
1 cup (2 sticks) melted butter
1 cup chopped pecans
Whipped cream for garnish

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, evaporated milk and pumpkin pie filling mix. Pour into a greased 9 by 13 inch pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix over batter. Drizzle melted butter over cake mix. Cover with chopped pecans. Bake 60 to 70 minutes, being careful not to let pecans burn. Can cover with aluminum foil near end if pecans start to get too brown.
Cake may still move slightly in the middle when done (like pumpkin pie). It sets up as it cools. Cool completely. Cake is better if made the day before serving or at least in the morning if you plan to serve in the evening. Garnish with whipped cream, if desired.
Makes 8 servings.