Chipotle Cheesecake

Tortilla Crust

cup crushed tortilla chips

tablespoons margarine or butter, melted

packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

eggs

1/2

cup sour cream

cups shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese (8 ounces)

1/4

cup chopped drained roasted red bell peppers (from 7-ounce jar)

chipotle chilies in adobo sauce (from 7-ounce can), seeded and chopped (2 tablespoons)

tablespoon adobo sauce from can of chipotle chilies

Large tortilla chips, if desired

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1

Heat oven to 375°. Mix ingredients for Tortilla Crust until well blended. Press evenly in bottom of springform pan, 9x3 inches. Bake about 8 minutes or until golden brown.
2

Reduce oven temperature to 325°. Beat cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add eggs; beat until well blended. Beat in sour cream. Stir in cheese, bell peppers, chipotle chilies and adobo sauce until well blended. Spoon evenly over crust.
3

Bake uncovered 40 to 45 minutes or until center is set. Run knife around edge of cheesecake to loosen. Cool completely at room temperature, about 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours but no longer than 24 hours. Remove side of pan. Serve cheesecake with tortilla chips.

Make it easy for your guests to help themselves to this savory cheesecake from your appetizer buffet. Cut a 4-inch diameter circle in center of cheesecake before cutting into wedges, so guests can easily cut short wedges from 2 rings of cheesecake instead of longer wedges.
Arrange chopped green, yellow or red bell pepper, chopped green and ripe olives and chopped nuts in wedge shapes on top of cheesecake. A cheesecake sampler with lots of flavor options!