Individual Cheesecakes

I recently made these delicious treats for my family for Valentine's Day and again for New Beginnings. They are so yummy and beautiful.

Crust:

1 c. graham cracker crumbs

1 TB. sugar

4 TB. unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

2 - 8 oz. pkgs. of cream cheese (I tried nuefchatel and it works great too)

2/3 c. sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 c. sour cream

Garnish with your favorite fresh fruit, or drizzle with melted chocolate, caramel or fruit sauce.

Place rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 300 degrees. Line muffin tins with strips of parchment paper or cupcake liners.

In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and sugar, then pour melted butter over and mix with a fork. Press about one tablespoon of crumbs into each cup. Place in the refrigerator to firm up with you mix the filling.

It is very important that all of your filling ingredients be at room temperature before mixing! Beat cream cheese with a mixer until nice and smooth. Add sugar and beat on low until incorporated. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each one. Don't forget to scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure every little bit is thoroughly mixed. Add vanilla and sour cream and mix until incorporated.

Pour filling evenly into crusts. The recipe claims to make 12, but I always seem to get more out of it. You can fill these almost to the top because they don't expand much while baking. Bake for 18-20 minutes. They will be firm, but the centers will still wiggle a little.

Remove from oven, and let cool on a wire rack. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate a few hours or over night. I leave mine in the muffin tin. Run a knife around between the liner and cup to make them easy to remove. Peel off wrappers to serve. Garnish and enjoy!