Mary-Ellen writes:
This recipe originated from my sister, Kathleen. Because of the size of our family, holidays always were, and still are, a group effort filled with “assignments.” One year Kathy was assigned appetizers and she said she would bring something she had recently at a party called Mexican Cheesecake. I thought it sounded like a spicy dessert, not an appetizer. Thanksgiving day arrived that year and in walked my sister with her cheesecake. It was so pretty, everyone was afraid to ruin it by taking a slice. My brother, Francis, finally took the first bite and got the OMG look on his face – he loved it. We all dug in and it quickly became a family favorite. I often serve this at my house or bring it to parties – everyone, every time gets the OMG expression and can’t get enough. I personally guarantee this appetizer will be a crowd-pleaser at your next simple celebration – give it a try!
Mexican Cheesecake Appetizer
Equipment
- Springform pan
Ingredients
"Cake"
- 1 cup finely crushed Nacho Flavored Dorito Chips place in sealed bag and crush with mallet or heavy spoon
- 1 8 ounce bag finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 cups mayonnaise
- 2 8 ounce packages of cream cheese completely softened
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 cup chopped black olives
- 1 hot chili pepper finely chopped
- 2 tsp chili powder
Topping
- 1 green onion chopped
- 1 small tomato chopped
- 2 Tbsp black olives sliced
- 1/2 yellow pepper chopped
- 1/2 red pepper chopped
- 1/2 cup jalapeño peppers jarred kind
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°.
- Spray springform pan with cooking spray.
- Mix all "cake" ingredients and put into pan.
- Place pan on foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 35 - 40 minutes - until center is set.
- Cool for about 15 - 20 min, remove from pan, and place on serving platter.
- Top the cheesecake with the toppings listed above in a circular pattern (see note below).
- Serve with "Scoop" chips or hearty crackers.