Two great recipes in honor of Cheesecake Day

By: By Pat Koch | SCNOW
Published: July 29, 2009

Mini Cherry Cheesecakes

1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
1 (1-lb.) can red tart pitted cherries
Few drops red food coloring
1 cup chocolate cookie or gingersnap crumbs
1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Combine 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Stir in cherries and syrup. Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Add food color and cool. Line 12 muffin cups with paper baking cups. Spoon in about 1-tablespoon cookie crumbs into each cup. Beat together the remaining ingredients until smooth. Spoon over crumbs. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until set. Cool. Top each cheesecake with 3 tablespoons cherry sauce.

Variations: For topping you can substitute cherry or blueberry pie filling.

Yield: 12 cheesecakes
Source: Pat Koch’s personal files

Low-Fat Cheesecake Pie

1 (5-oz.) can of fat-free evaporated milk (2/3 cup)
1 egg
1 (8-oz.) pkg. fat-free cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon lemon peel
1 (9-inch) graham cracker piecrust

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Put all ingredients (except pie crust) in blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into piecrust. Cook 35 minutes until center is set. Cool on a wire rack.

Topping:
2 cups blueberries
1/2 cup blueberry jam, warmed in microwave

Place berries on top of cheesecake. Dribble jam over fruit. Refrigerate before serving. (Strawberries with strawberry jam or any other fruit and jam of your choice may be used.)

Source: Family Treasures (Brandy Neely Middlebrooks)