2 cups Vanilla Wafers crumbs (1/2 pound cookies crushed)
1/3 cup melted butter or margarine
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3 eggs, lightly beatened
1 15-ounce can sweet potatoes, drained and puréed
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 cups sour cream, at room temperature

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 1/2- or 10-inch spring-form pan and coat lightly with flour. Toss Vanilla Wafers crumbs with the melted butter until evenly moistened in medium bowl. Press the crumb mixture into bottom and extend 1 inch up the side of prepared pan. Bake for about 12 minutes. Let the crust cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Beat the cream cheese until smooth in mixer bowl with electric mixer. Beat in 3/4 cup sugar and brown sugar, then beat in the eggs, in 3 additions until the mixture is thoroughly combined; scraping down the side of bowl occasionally.

Combine puréed sweet potatoes, heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla and the cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice until well-blended in another medium bowl. Add sweet potato mixture to cream cheese mixture and beat until combined. Wrap foil loosely around the bottom and up the side of the spring-form pan. Pour the batter into prepared pan and set it in a large baking dish or roasting pan. Place in the middle of the oven and pour 1 inch of hot water into the baking dish. Bake the cheesecake for about 70 minutes, or until the edges are firm and the center of the cheesecake is still slightly shaky.

Combine the sour cream, with the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and pour the sour cream topping on to cheesecake. Spread topping evenly and continue baking for 10 minutes. Transfer the cheesecake to rack and let cool for 1 hour. Remove the foil and refrigerate the cheesecake at least 4 hours, or overnight. If you desire, remove the cheesecake from the bottom of the pan by sliding a metal spatula under the crust to loosen it completely, then use 2 large spatulas to transfer the cake to a serving plate.

Yields 16 servings

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 packets sugar substitute

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend for 15 minutes. Pour mixture into a 9-inch spring-form pan. Place in a pan of hot water in oven. If water evaporates during baking, add more hot water as needed. Bake for 1 hour, turn off oven and leave cheesecake in oven 1 hour longer. Garnish with mint leaves if desired.

Yields 12 servings

Calories 190, Total Fat 18.3g, Cholesterol 95mg, Carbohydrate 2.0g, Protein 4.8g, Sodium 135mg.

1 Chocolate Crumb Crust
3 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
14 - ounce can sweetened condensed milk
12- ounce package semisweet chocolate chips, melted
4 eggs
1/4 cup coffee-flavored liqueur, (optional)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Prepare Chocolate Crumb Crust. Beat cream cheese until fluffy in large mixer bowl. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 1 hour and 5 minutes or until center is set. Cool. Chill. Garnish as desired. Refrigerate leftovers.
Chocolate Crumb Crust: Combine 1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs (about 45 wafers), 6 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa and 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted. Press firmly on bottom and 1/2 inch up side of 9-inch springform pan.

Yields about 16 servings

Calories 447, Total Fat 30.0g, Cholesterol 110mg, Carbohydrate 39.7g, Protein 8.1g, Sodium 236mg.