Mini Cheesecakes with Strawberry Sauce

Since I am off work this week I am able to sit down and go back to post the things I made back in October for my party.  This recipe is definitely apropos for the holiday season, though.  With all the parties going on this month, these are perfect to serve to crowds both large and small.  And you can make them in advance, which is always an added bonus during this busy time of year.

For my bridal shower last year my bridesmaids each brought a dish to serve.  One bridesmaid, Jamie, brought these mini cheesecakes, which came from a family recipe.  I am not usually a big cheesecake fan (most places I've had it the slice is huuuuge like at Cheesecake Factory or Junior's in NYC), but the individual size makes these just the perfect amount of cheesecake.  After the shower there was a decent amount leftover (as there is at any party with multiple desserts) so my mother-in-law (who hosted the shower at her home) popped some in the freezer and served them with our Rosh Hashannah meal later that week.

These are great leftover.  We had a few left after our party as well, so we wrapped them individually in foil and froze them.  The day before we waned to eat them we popped them in the fridge then took them out before we sat down to dinner so they came back up to room temperature by the time we ate them.

Mini Cheesecakes (a family recipe from Jamie at Skinny Apple, Fat Appetite)

Ingredients

24 Keebler Ready Crusts, Graham, individual sized

4 Eggs

1 Cup Sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla

3 Bricks Philadelphia Cream Cheese

Directions

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

- In a large mixing bowl combine eggs, sugar, vanilla, and cream

cheese until smooth.  You can use either a standup mixer or a hand

mixer.

- Pour approx ¼ cup of filling into each individual crust.

- Bake for 30 minutes or until golden.

- Allow cheesecakes to cool completely before eating.

 

Strawberry Sauce 

Ingredients

2 cups fresh strawberries, cut

¼ cup sugar

1 tbsp lemon zest

Directions

- Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan.

- Cook on medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes, until sauce thickens.

- Allow sauce to cool completely before serving.