Desserts: Merce's Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Ingredients:
Sugar (1 2/3 cup)
Butter (2/3 cup)
Oreo cookies (3 cups mashed oreo crumbs)
Philly cream cheese (two 8 oz packages)
3 eggs
1 pint sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup of mini-chips (and enough to cover the top of the whole cheesecake)

Preheat oven to 350.

1. First make crust using 3.0 cups oreo crumbs or mashed cookies with 2/3 cupmelted butter and 2/3 cup sugar. Layer the crust along the bottom of a spring-form (aka cheesecake) pan -- it has 2 parts, a bottom part and a surrounding part. You obviously want it to be all assembled when you put the crust in. Pack the crust down w/ your hands until it makes a firm, even layer.

2. Then mix 1 cup sugar and 2 packages of 8oz Philly cream cheese. Add 3 eggsand whip until smooth (MUCH easier w/ electric mixer). Fold in 1 pint of sour cream slowly while mixing. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 cup of mini-chips.

3. Bake at 350 for a least a 1/2 hour or until you see some golden color on top. A toothpick dipped in should come out w/ cheesecake consistency stuff on it; not liquid. Don't be alarmed if it's taking WAY longer than 1/2 an hour; ovens are all different. When it's almost done, turn the oven off but don't take the cake out yet. The whole idea of preventing cracking is gradually making the transition from hot to cool. I often then leave the oven door open for another hour or so, then leave it sitting out for a couple of hours, andonly then put it in the fridge overnight. Sometimes, it still gets a big crack in the middle and that's okay, just cover the whole top of the cake w/ mini chips and all imperfections will be obscured. The cake only gets better w/time (best preparedat least 24hrs early) so save leftovers!