When Life Gives You Lemons....Eat Peanut Butter Cheesecake!

 When Life Gives You Lemons...I say...Eat Peanut Butter Cheesecake!
                                                         

Miller requested the Cheesecake Factory's Peanut Butter Cheesecake for his "get together" last night with his life long friends...the friends he has had since..well...some since birth! Some since K-4 and other's that came to Briarwood in Elementary School, etc...

It's this group that makes up Miller's core group of friends...Unfortunately, Roy couldn't come because it was also his sister's birthday dinner night! Oh well...you will see him later!

Sometimes, when kids get to be the age these guys are...life is starting to get busy, hard, stressful...( as much as it can be for 17-18 year olds) and that calls for a party! This party was nothing but a good old sit around the dinner table, play ping pong and laugh kind of party! And if I do say so myself...the food was delicious! It was really good for Miller to get to be with his best friends again...to laugh, and just BE!!
But the star of the show was the Peanut Butter Cheesecake! Here is the recipe...and a few old pics to boot! Can't believe this group is graduating in May!

                                      Look at their hair!!!

                                And My All Time Personal Favorite!!!!

I bet Roy wishes he had just skipped his sister's dinner! Just kidding...these memories just go way back!!!
Instead of paying the big bucks for the "real thing" from The Cheesecake Factory...I decided to make it...
4 hours later...Jim was wishing we'd just bought the one from there after all!!! Until he tasted this....

            Ok....THE PEANUT BUTTER CHEESECAKE RECIPE!

For The Crust

• 4 1/2 cups crushed Oreo cookies
• 1 cup chopped roasted peanuts
• 1/2 cup butter , melted

For The Filling

• 2 lbs cream cheese , softened
• 5 eggs , at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter (not natural-style)
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 Reese's Peanut Butter cups , broken into small pieces

For The Topping

• 3 ounces sour cream
• 1/2 cup sugar

Directions:

1. 1
   Please Note****Plan ahead--cheesecake needs to chill for at least 4 hours.
2. 2
   To Make The Crust:.
3. 3
   Combine crushed Oreo cookies and peanuts that have been ground in a food processor with the melted butter.
4. 4
   Pat the crust mixture onto bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan.
5. 5
   To Make The Filling:.
6. 6
   Beat cream cheese in bowl of electric mixer until smooth.
7. 7
   Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
8. 8
   Add sugar, peanut butter and cream; mix until smooth.
9. 9
   Stir in vanilla, then fold in peanut butter cup pieces with a rubber spatula.
10. 10
    Pour filling into prepared crust.
11. 11
    Place springform pan into a larger baking pan.
12. 12
    Pour hot water into the larger pan so that the water comes 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan.
13. 13
    Bake at 275°F 1-1/2 hours, or until firm and lightly browned.
14. 14
    For The Topping:.
15. 15
    Combine the sour cream and sugar and spread on the cheesecake.
16. 16
    Return the cake to the oven for 5 minutes.
17. 17
    Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for one hour.
18. 18
    You may run a knife along the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan somewhat.
19. 19
    Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

This was definitely one of the best desserts I've ever tasted! And all of the guys said so as well!!! Try it for yourself!!   OR ELSE!!! 

        HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY, MILLER!!!!! I LOVE YOU MORE THAN ALL THE RICE IN CHINA!!!