Cream Cheese Pie

GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST
11 double graham crackers
4 Tbsps. sugar
1/2 cup butter or
margarine, softened

FILLING
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
12 ounces cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla extract

TOPPING
1 cup sour cream
2 Tbsps. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Reserved crumbs

USE: 9 inch deep dish
pie plate
YIELDS: 8 servings

GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST: Crush graham crackers in blender until finely ground. Reserve 1/4 cup crumbs for topping. Place remainder in a large bowl. Add sugar and butter to remaining crumbs and mix well. Line deep dish pie plate and refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 375°.

FILLING: In a large bowl beat eggs well. Add sugar, cream cheese, and vanilla and beat until well blended. Pour into crust. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn off oven and leave pie in oven for I hour; remove and cool for 10 minutes.

Raise oven to 450°.

TOPPING: In a small bowl combine topping ingredients and pour over pie. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove and cool Sprinkle with reserved crumbs and chill for 3 hours before serving.

VARIATION Cherry Cheese Tarts: Reduce amounts of filling ingredients as follows: 2 eggs, 1/3 cup sugar, 8 ounces cream cheese. Using 2 mini-cupcake pans, press a heaping teaspoon of crust mixture in the bottom of each form. Fill each crust with cream cheese mixture. Bake 10 minutes. Remove and chill thoroughly. When ready to serve top with a teaspoon of canned cherry pie filling. Yields: 24 tarts.