Southwest Cowboy Cheesecake Food

SOUTHWESTERN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325.
• Stir together chips and margarine and press into a 9-inch springform pan.
• Bake for 15 minutes.
• Beatg cream cheese and eggs in large bowl at medium speed until well blended.
• Stir in the co-jack cheese and the chilis and pour over crust.
• Bake for 30 minutes.
• Cool completely.
• Spread sour cream over cheese cake and sprinkle on toppings.
• Chill 1-2 hours.
• Remove from cake pan after chilling.
• Let sit out to"soften" a little or you'll break your tortilla chips!
• before serving.
• Serve on platter surrounded by tortilla chips and celery sticks.

SOUTHWEST COWBOY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325F.
• Combine the crushed chips and butter and press into a 9" springform pan.
• Bake 15 minutes.
• Set aside to cool.
• In large mixing bowl, whip cream cheese until fluffy.
• Beat in the salt and eggs, one at a time until smooth.
• Fold in the shredded cheese and green chilies.
• Pour into the prepared crust and bake for 30 minutes.
• Combine the sour cream and taco seasoning and pour over the hot cheesecake.
• Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate overnight.
• Just before serving, garnish decoratively with the diced and chopped vegetables.
• A spiral pattern works nicely.
• Serve with accompanying salsa.

SASSY SOUTHWEST CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Combine crushed tortilla chips and 1/4 cup softened butter, and press into bottom of a lightly greased 9-inch springform pan.
• Bake at 350° for 12 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack.
• Beat cream cheese, shredded cheese, and salt at medium speed with an electric mixer 3 minutes or until fluffy. Add 1 container sour cream, beating until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Stir in salsa and chiles. Pour over prepared crust.
• Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Remove pan from oven; let stand 10 minutes on a wire rack. Gently run a knife around edge of pan to loosen sides. Remove sides of pan; let cheesecake cool completely.
• Stir together remaining 2 containers sour cream until smooth; spread evenly over top of cooled cheesecake. Cover and chill at least 3 hours or up to 1 day. Spread evenly with guacamole; sprinkle with diced tomatoes before serving. Serve with tortilla chips.

SOUTHWEST APPETIZER CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Place tortilla chips in a large Ziploc bag.
• Finely crush chips with mallet or rolling pin to measure 2/3 cup.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Combine crushed chips and margarine; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.
• Bake 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, process cottage cheese in processor or blender until smooth.
• Beat cream cheese and cottage cheese in large bowl with and electric mixer on med. speed until well blended.
• Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Stir in cheddar cheese and chilies.
• Pour mixture over baked crust.
• Return to oven; bake 60 minutes.
• Combine sour cream and dip in small bowl; mix thoroughly.
• Remove cheesecake from oven and carefully pour sour cream mixture evenly over top.
• Return cheesecake to oven; bake 10 minutes more.
• Remove cheesecake from oven.
• Let stand at room temperature to cool slightly.
• Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool completely before removing rim.
• Refrigerate cheesecake until ready to serve.
• Just before serving, top with the tomatoes, green onions and olives.
• Cut into wedges to serve.
• Note: The 8 oz. cans of jalepeño cheddar dip are found, usually, on the rack in front of the tortilla chips, and potato chips.