Not your average cheesecake recipe

An appetizer that’ll be a winner at your next barbecue

Bet you’ve never seen a cheesecake quite like this. 

Sure, sweet cheesecakes are always nice, but this one takes the cake in a whole new way. This southwestern-inspired appetizer starts with a layer of nachos and is topped with a mixture of cream cheese, shredded cheese and fire-roasted chilis, then baked. Once it comes out of the oven, add a heaping of pico-de-gallo and you’ve got yourself a new, crowd-pleasing appetizer. 

Bring it to your next barbeque or tailgate, serve with corn chips and enjoy with your favorite bottle of Purple Cowboy. 

Ingredients

• 1 C. tortilla chips, crushed
• 3 T. butter, melted
• 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese (softened)
• 2 eggs
• 1 4-oz can fire roasted diced green chiles
• 1 fresh jalapeno, cored, seeded and diced
• 4 ounces Colby cheese, shredded
• 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• 1/4 C. sour cream

For topping:

• chopped tomatoes
• chopped green onions
• sliced black olives
• chopped avocado

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In medium bowl, combine crushed tortilla chips and butter. Press into bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan. Bake 15 minutes, remove from oven, leaving oven on.

In large bowl, blend cream cheese and eggs. Add green chiles, jalapeno, Colby and Monterey Jack. Pour over crust and bake 30 minutes. Do not overcook. Remove from oven and cool in pan 5 minutes. Run knife around inside edge and remove sides from pan. Spread sour cream over top and decorate with tomatoes, green onions, olives and avocado. Serve with tortilla chips.

Photo and recipe courtesy of Cooking... On the Ranch.