Festive Pepper Cheesecake

Ingredients

  • 1 c. finely crushed tortilla chips
  • 3 T. butter or margarine, melted
  • 2 (8 oz. packages, cream cheese
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 c. (8 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers
  • 1 (4.5 oz.) can chopped green chiles
  • 2 c. sour cream
  • 1 c. seeded and chopped yellow and/or red bell pepper
  • 1/2 c. chopped green onions
  • 1/3 c. chopped tomato
  • 1/4 c. chopped pitted ripe olives (black)
  • 1/2 recipe for smaller crowd and place in small springform pan.

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350. Combine chips and melted butter; press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Beat cream cheese and eggs at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth; add shredded cheese and green chiles, beating well. Add sour cream, beating well. Pour into prepared crust.

Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Chill.

Remove from springform pan to serve. Decorate top with bell pepper and next 3 ingredients.

Serve with tortilla chips.