Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

When I worked for a local car dealership one of our techs was this guy named Shawn. He was a big guy, loved to eat and loved to cook! He was taking culinary classes at Sinclair CC here in Dayton and working full time for Key Mobility. Shawn brought us this cheesecake one day and it was GONE by lunch. He gladly shared the recipe with the office girls. He had used this cheesecake recipe for a project where they needed to cut the fat. RIGHT ... so he used Neufatchel cheese instead of cream cheese, I am sure it made a small difference, but not THAT much.
I have made it a dozen times and it's always delicious. One little tip for baking cheesecakes; put a small oven safe dish filled 1/2 way with water into the bottom of your oven. This creates the moisture necessary so that you don't get that cheesecake crack in the middle. You're going to LOVE this recipe.

Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

Cheesecake Filling:
3 (8 oz.) Neufatchel cream cheese
6 eggs
1 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
25 mini peanut butter cups, chunked

Crust:
1 1/2 c. graham crackers, crushed
1/3 c. melted butter
1/2 T. sugar

1. Mix crust ingredients and press into the bottom and up the sides of a springform pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

2. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth; add eggs one at a time, making sure to incorporate after each addition. Add sugar and vanilla extract. Blend smooth. Add peanut butter cups; mix in by hand.

3. Place filling into crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 - 45 minutes. Remove right before it looks as if center is set. Cool on baking rack 4 hours; refrigerate. Refrigerate any leftovers.