Philadelphia 3-Step Cookie Dough Cheesecake

Ingredients:

- 2 pkg. (8 oz. each) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened

- 1/2 cup sugar

- 1/2 tsp. vanilla

- 2 eggs

- 3/4 cup prepared or refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough, divided

- 1 Honey Maid Graham Pie Crust (6 oz.) <- (or make your own; so easy and so much better!)

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees F.  Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.  Add eggs; mix just until blended.  Remove 1/2 cup of the dough; drop by teaspoonfuls into batter.  Stir gently.

POUR into crust.  Top with level teaspoonfuls of the remaining 1/4 cup cookie dough.

BAKE 40 minutes or until center is almost set.  Cool.  Refrigerate 3 hours or over night.  Garnish as desired.  Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

Makes 12 servings.

Cookbook and Recipe Cards. Lincolnwood, IL: Publications International, 2009. Print.

*P.S.  You can also make a cookie crust which is what the one in the picture has, instead of a honey graham pie crust.  Do whatever suits you!

Creamy Stuffed Pastry Bites

Ingredients:

- 4 oz. (1/2 of 8 oz. pkg) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened

- 1/2 cup finely chopped cooked turkey or chicken

- 2 green onions, sliced

- 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley

- Salt and black pepper

- 1 pkg. (17 1/4 oz.) frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed

- 1 egg

- 1 Tbsp. milk

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 400 degrees F.  Mix cream cheese, turkey/chicken, onions, and parsley until well blended.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

PLACE pastry sheets on cutting board.  Cut out 22 circles from each pastry sheet, using a 2-inch round cutter.  Beat eggs and milk with wire whisk until well blended.

SPOON 1 tsp. of the turkey/chicken mixture onto center of each pastry circle.  Brush edge of pastry with egg mixture.  Fold pastry in half to completely enclose filling; press edges together to seal.  Place on baking sheet; brush tops with remaining egg mixture.

BAKE 12-15 minutes of until golden brown.  Serve immediately.

Makes:  22 servings, 2 pastry bites each.