Cheesecake for Regular People

The best second breakfast in the entire world.

I love cheesecake. But not the overpriced, dry, New York style cheesecake. I like creamy, smooth, regular old cheesecake. My recipe comes from a 40 year old blender cookbook, and it is still the best one I've ever tasted. No, it isn't made with homemade crust in a springform pan, it doesn't have sliced kiwi and berries for garnish or chocolate drizzled over it. It is just plain wonderful, and wonderful plain. (The blueberries are just for the aesthetics of photography, doncha know.)

And when Austin asked me yesterday why I was making it when we still had cream cheese cookies in the fridge, I mumbled something about those being his birthday cookies, which was true. But it also had to do with the creaminess of this cheesecake, which the cookies, although incredibly delicious,  lack.

HOW TO

Bring 2 - 8 oz. packages of cream cheese to room temperature (by whatever means necessary - if you skip this step, you will have little ugly zits in your cake) - regular cream cheese, not low fat, no fat or Neufchatel - I've tried them and they don't make smooth cheesecake.

Cream the cheese with 3/4 cup of (evil) white  sugar.

Add 1 tablespoon of real vanilla extract. There is no substitute. (For someone who doesn't cook well, I certainly am opinionated.)

Beat in 2 eggs.

Add 12 oz. sour cream and 2 tablespoons melted butter.  Beat really well until smooth.

Pour into a Keebler family size graham cracker crust. (The one for 2 extra servings.)

Bake at 325° for 40 minutes. Gently touch the center to test for doneness. If it is firm (your finger comes away clean) and jiggly, it is done. (The filling will be very soft. If you like it a little drier, bake for a few extra minutes, but watch for browning, which is bad.) Cool at room temperature for 2 hours, then put in refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.

Yum-o.