Mini Cheesecakes

As some of you may know both myself and Daniel volunteer for the Great Dane rescue where Wagner, Toby, and Lennon were all adopted from. We go to various rescue events helping to spread the word about homeless animals looking for their forever homes. So many dogs are ending up in shelters and rescues, whether it be because of the economy or because adopters weren't prepared to deal with an animal. The idea of so many dogs losing their lives each year because of overcrowded shelters just make me tear up. SuperPetz is kind enough to be holding a two day adopt-a-thon at all of their locations. Daniel and I will be setting up shop at our local SuperPetz hoping to get the word out to potential adopters to please look at local shelters/rescues before purchasing from another back yard breeder or pet store.

For this particular event I asked a friend at work to design a flyer that I could distribute to anyone thinking about adopting a Great Dane and he was happy to oblige. Of course I offered him a payment of some sort of dessert and he like Daniel wouldn't tell me what he wanted, he said to surprise him. Why are men like this ladies? It is such a simple question and yet their answers make me want to pull out my hair.

So since I needed help deciding off to allrecipes I went and someone suggested mini cheesecakes. I am a big fan of cheesecakes but I wanted to kick mine up a notch and try to get away from the typical cherry pie fillings. Here is what I came up with, Lord I hope he likes them.

Katie's Mini Cheesecakes~

*I am making two recipes out of one batch so I am breaking everything up. I hope these steps don't confuse everyone!

Crust:

1 cup chocolate graham crackers crushed

1 cup regular graham crackers crushed

8 tbsp. butter, melted, divide in half

8 tbsp. white sugar, divide in half

Filling:3- 8 oz. blocks cream cheese, softened

3 eggs

1 cup white sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup raspberry preserves, softened in the microwave for about 15 seconds

Toppings:1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup chocolate chips, melted

caramel sauce, to drizzle

Directions:

1.)Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line muffin tins with paper liners.

2.) In a sauce pan over medium heat melt butter. Divide melted butter in half. Pour half into a bowl with one cup of your chocolate graham cracker mixture and add 4 tbsp. of sugar. In another bowl add one cup of your regular graham crackers, the rest of your butter, and 4 tbsp. of sugar. Mix both bowls until incorporated. Add about a 1 tbsp. into each paper liner. Half get the chocolate while the other half get the regular.

3.)In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Divide filling in half into separate bowls. In one bowl add one cup of chocolate chips and gently mix. Pour into the chocolate graham cracker liners about two heaping tablespoons or until full. Take the other half of your filling and add to your regular graham cracker liners. To the top of the regular ones add a tablespoon of raspberry preserves and with a knife or toothpick swirl into the mixture.

4.)Bake for 15 minutes and allow to cool. Also, I would suggest putting a pan of water on the bottom rack of your oven during the baking process, I hear this helps prevent cracks in your cheesecake while baking and even though I am not making a large cheesecake, I figured it wouldn't hurt.

5.) Top your chocolate chip cheesecakes off with 1 tbsp of your caramel sauce and then sprinkle about a teaspoon or two of your chopped pecans. Keep cheesecakes refrigerated.