Best Cheesecake

This here happens to be the best cheesecake recipe in the entire world, so consider yourself lucky for even getting the privilege to read this. This recipe belongs to Jill over at www.thevirginiahouse.blogspot.com. You can make a traditional cheesecake in a springform pan, or you can make mini-cheesecakes (like I did) in cupcake wrappers in muffin tins, just shorten the cook time to 20 - 25 minutes. I also used chocolate cookie crumbs instead of graham cracker. Take your pick.

New York Cheesecake

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 cup & 2 T sugar, divided

5 1/2 T butter, melted

5 pkg cream cheese, softened (and don't you DARE use the ''1/3 less fat cream cheese'' because it does NOT taste the same. I tried it. Utter fail.)

3 T flour

1 T vanilla (I always use a little extra)

3 eggs

1 cup sour cream

Mix cracker crumbs, butter, 2 T sugar together. Press into the bottom of a springform pan, forming a crust. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes, set aside. Beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, flour, and vanilla well. Use a couple fingers to snitch a taste. Add eggs 1 at a time on low speed, just until blended. Blend in sour cream. Pour on top of crust. Lick bowl and spatula thoroughly.

Bake at 350 for 50 - 60 minutes or until just set. Not too jiggly, not too firm. Nothing worse than an overdone or underdone cheesecake, perfection required. Not really. One thing that helps with that though - I always put a 9x13 pan full of water on the bottom rack of the oven. Keeps moisture in and prevents the top of the cheesecake from cracking.

Remove cheesecake and let it cool completely before serving or refridgerating. You can also freeze the cheesecake and pull it out of the freezer a few hourse before you want to serve it.

Enjoy. Immensely.

*I added a chocolate drizzle and sliced strawberries