Cheesecake made by Hayd

I love the library, I love cooking, and I love hanging out in the kitchen with my kids. So, I was more than happy when Hayden picked out this book from our library today. We came home and he found a cheesecake recipe that he was dying to try. I was busy chopping veggies and tossing them into the crock pot for our chili dinner. So, he got right to work, pulling out ingredients, checking the recipe about a million times to make sure he was doing everything just right. He was even super patient with his little sister who was determined to pour every ingredient in the bowl. Well, long story short, Hayden was super proud of this delicious dessert. My favorite part is the cinnamon in the crust....heaven! I also love how thin it is. I'm a big fan of dessert, but I'm not a fan of tons of leftovers that sit in the fridge begging to be eaten. This makes eight perfect sized portions.

crust:

5 tablespoons butter, slightly melted

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 tablespoon sugar

cheesecake:

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

topping:

1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling

(We didn't have any in the pantry, but we do have a ton of apricot freezer jam and a few ripe blackberries from the garden. So, Hayd decided that would make for a great topping and he was so right. I think cherry pie filling would take away from that cinnamon crust and thin layer of cheesecake that I love so much.)

To make the crust, stir together all your crust ingredients and press into the bottom of a spring-form pan. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and vanilla. Mix on low speed for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add eggs. Mix on high for 3 minutes, scraping down sides. Pour over your prepared crust. Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes or until set. Turn off oven and crack door open. Leave cake in the oven for 10 minutes. Refrigerate at least an hour before adding your topping and serving.