Sour Cream Cheesecake

This recipe is from an old co-worker, Linda Fedek. I haven't seen her in over 9 years, but I think of her everytime I make this cheesecake. My husband would probably love for me to make it more often than I do. I don't because, well, it's cheesecake and I cannot control myself. It is a VERY easy recipe because everything is mixed in the blender and then poured into the crust. It takes MAYBE 15 minutes to get it prepared as long as your ingredients are room temperature. The hardest part of this recipe is waiting 4 hours for it in the fridge! What I like about it most is that, unlike dense, thick, heavy cheesecakes that are NY style, this one is light and fluffy and creamy and oh so delicious! I love to serve it with cherry pie filling spilling down all over the top of it! It also lends itself well to using lower fat ingredients like Neufachatel and light sour cream and egg substitute; doing so would probably make it the most figure friendly cheesecake on the planet! I hope you get a chance to make this someday! It's a yummy one!!!

Grahm Cracker Crust - use recipe on box of Grahm Crackers or crumbs - put in a Springform pan NOT a pie plate (note * if you choose to use the premade crusts, this will fill TWO of them, not one).


2 eggs, at room temp
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups sour cream, at room temp
2 8 oz blocks of cream cheese, at room temp
2 Tbs. melted butter (DO NOT use margarine)
1 strip orange zest (optional)
1 strip lemon zest (optional)

Put eggs, vanilla, sugar, sour cream and zest into a blender. Blend 8 to 10 seconds. While blender is running add cream cheese and butter. Blend until very smooth.

Pour mixture into graham cracker crust and bake in a preheated oven at 325 for 35 minutes (or until center is set). NOTE: I add a pan of water in the bottom rack of the oven as it's preheating, and leave it there during the baking process. This helps keep the cheesecake from drying out.

Turn off heat and leave in oven 15 minutes. Remove and cool on rack.

When cooled, place in refridgerator for AT LEAST 4 hours (overnight works best).