I swiped this recipe out of Mama’s book of recipe clippings and I gotta tell ya, this is one of my new favorite cheesecakes!

Earlier this week I called up Mama to describe the cheesecake to her and here is how our conversation went:

Me: You know those really good cheesecakes you buy frozen at Sam’s Club?

Mama: Christy, most people wouldn’t consider frozen cheesecakes from Sam’s Club to be in the “really good” category, but the bad thing is I know exactly what you’re talking about and I think of them the same way!

Me: Well that recipe you gave me that you’ve never got around to trying, it tastes just like those!!!

Mama: Oh really???? I’m going to have to make us one then!

~giggles~

I like to giggle in my posts from time to time because someone once emailed me and asked that I not do that anymore since it was annoying them and I instinctively knew they were a really good person who was just struggling to learn how to love people where they are in their lives and since I’m someone who, right now, really likes to giggle whenever possible, I understand that my job is to help that person overcome their inability to love gigglers. I’m a giver, I tell ya! Feel free to join me in giggling in the comments. Together, we can make a difference.  

So without further a-do-ment, (just made that word up! Feel free to use it, Another way I give!) here is your Pie Day Friday post!

CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESECAKE *with* Easy Chocolate Ganache

Most cheesecakes involve simple ingredients. Of course, any cheesecake I make is gonna involve simple ingredients or I’m not making it. I save my “complicated stuff” brain cells for raising teenagers, navigating life, and juggling schedules. I don’t have the time or inclination for complicated cooking. 

For this one we need: a Graham pie crust, Vanilla*, Cream Cheese, Sweetened Condensed Milk, Egg, and a cup of Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips – or whatever kind of chocolate chips you have on hand.

*You’re seeing name brand pure vanilla here. This is purely an accident. I am still far too cheap to pay for this stuff. I think a company must have sent this to me for one reason or another. Either way, I just didn’t want you feeling put out or that you had to go buy it. I’m still imitation and generic all the way

In a mixing bowl place softened cream cheese, condensed milk (check recipe at bottom for how much), egg, and vanilla.

Beat it like a rug after a dust storm.

Sprinkle your flour over chocolate chips and toss them a little bit to coat.

This gives them a coating that can cling to the batter a bit and keep them from sinking to the bottom of the pie. This also works well for berries and such when making a berry pie.

Dump chocolate chips into batter.

Stir ‘em up a little bit with a spoon.

Pour batter into graham crust.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or so, until set.

Note: It will be a little bit puffy when you take it out of the oven but it will settle down and look like this after a few minutes. It just got all excited on accounta being baked and all….

Let this cool completely before adding ganache topping.

In a small bowl or small sauce pot place heavy cream and chocolate chips for the ganache.

Now, traditionally folks make this on the stovetop and you can certainly do that.

To make it on the stovetop: Place ingredients in a small saucepot over low heat and stir constantly until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth and creamy. Immediately remove from heat.

How I’m making it: I’m making it an easier way though.. my microwave. I have stopped sharing microwave recipes and such on SouthernPlate because I find that so many folks have vastly varying wattages in their microwaves and it really requires personal judgement and a careful eye to watch things cooked that way. Having said that, if you feel like doing it the easy way, join me in the next step.

Heat this in the microwave for about 30 seconds.

Stir, stir, stir.

 Please do this on the stove top if you have an older microwave or don’t feel comfortable using your personal judgement to know when to stop heating.

Heat it another thirty seconds.

Stir, stir,stir.

Repeat one more time.

Stir, stir, stir.

By this time, our bowl is already very warm and if there are little bits of chips that have not yet melted, just keep stirring because between that and the warm bowl, they will melt soon.

Once it is all smooth and creamy, do this…

BOOM!

My son says that a lot so I felt like I should toss it out there to show you how cool I am

Pour ganache over pie and spread it around a bit to cover the top.

Like this.

Now cover this and toss it in the fridge for several hours.

Please don’t take me literally here, when I say “toss it”, I mean “carefully place”.

When ready to serve, remove from fridge, slice, and dive in!

 You simply must make this soon! It is SO GOOD!

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“It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.”

~Eleanor Roosevelt

Submitted by Pat Payne. Thanks, Pat! Click here to submit your own.

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