Treble Clef Chef: Mom's Birthday Pie

My mom's birthday is in a few days and in her honor, I'd like to share a recipe she gave me years ago. I remember her making this when I was little (which is interesting because my memories of my mother's cooking were things like Tater Tot Casserole with canned cream of mushroom soup and frozen peas and carrots...not to mention the Pillsbury Pop Tarts and Crescent Rolls).

I digress.

Usually people make a cake when it's someones birthday, but my mom loves Cheesecake. HOWEVER, not the typical cheesecake in the New York style. She likes the California Cheese Pie. It has a graham cracker crust, and a creamy cheese filling, with a layer of sweetened sour cream on top. It.....is.....divine. I don't have a picture of one but I will post one the next time I make one of these. This recipe has also become a favorite of ours at Christmas so I eat this at least once a year.

Mom's California Cheese Pie

For the crust:

Put 16 (1 individually wrapped package of crackers, inside the large box) graham crackers in a food processor with 2 TBL brown sugar. Pulse until completely crumbly. OR put the crackers in a zip top baggie and crush them with a rolling pin, then put the crumbs in a bowl and add the sugar. Next, add 6 TBL melted butter to the graham cracker mixture. Press the mixture into a pie tin and bake for 5 minutes at 350 degrees.

For the pie:

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 C sugar

8 oz. regular cream cheese (don't use fat free!) room temperature.

For the topping:

1C sour cream

4 TBL sugar

1. With a hand mixer or stand mixer, whip the room temperature cream cheese until smooth and creamy, then add the eggs, vanilla and sugar. Mix until very well combined.

2. Pour into prepared crust. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 or until firm. If it is very jiggly or looks wet in the center, bake for another 5 minutes or so. Let the pie cool for 5 minutes.

Whip the topping ingredients and gently pour over the top of the pie, covering the filling completely. Bake for another 5 minutes.

Cool completely and refrigerate for several hours before serving.