Razzle-Dazzle Berry Cheesecake

 

1

cup graham cracker crumbs

1/4

cup sugar

2

tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

3

packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

1

cup sugar

1

teaspoon vanilla

4

eggs

1

container (8 oz) sour cream

1

can (21 oz) strawberry pie filling

• 1 Heat oven to 325°F. Wrap outside bottom and side of 10-inch springform pan with foil to prevent leaking. In small bowl, mix cracker crumbs and 1/4 cup sugar. Stir in butter. Press firmly in bottom of pan. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until set.
• 2 Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, the vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in sour cream.
• 3 Spread half of cream cheese mixture (about 3 cups) over crust. Spoon half of pie filling by tablespoonfuls onto cream cheese mixture. Top with remaining cream cheese mixture. (Refrigerate remaining pie filling.)
• 4 Bake 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes or until center is set. Cool 15 minutes. Carefully run metal spatula along side of cheesecake to loosen. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Cover cheesecake; refrigerate at least 4 hours.
• 5 To serve, carefully run metal spatula along side of cheesecake to loosen again; remove foil and side of pan. Spoon remaining pie filling over cheesecake.