Homemade Gifts In A Basket- Mint Chocolate Chip...

Don't you just love the thought of receiving a basket with homemade mixes and jars in it? I love to receive them. I decided along time ago that it was impossible to please everyone on my list. It was at this point, that I decided to please myself. At least one of us would be happy. I decided to make gifts in a jar and gifts in basket. I thought that if the receiver did not like them...I would keep them for myself. Guess what? Everyone loved them. Even the men! Who knew..Men loved to eat good food?

The first time I made the following recipe, I did not have the Andes mint so I substituted Peppermint patties. They actually worked pretty well. These are given in a ziploc bag and added in a basket. Now...On to the recipe, Enjoy and Remember to rate it and comment if you feel inclined to do so.

Mint Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Kit

Mint Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Mix
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup Andes Creme de Menthe Baking Chips
1/4 cup chocolate milk drink mix (use this if you want chocolate
filling--leave out for plain filling)
1 TBSP flour
Mix all ingredients and store in a snack size ziplock bag and Remember to label
Mint Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Mix
TOPPING SPRINKLES: 1 TBSP mini chocolate chips and 1 TBSP Andes chips
Put into a snack size ziplock bag--label Topping Sprinkles.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Crust (mix and directions):
1-1/4 cup chocolate chip wafer cookie crumbs (buy cookies and crush
in food processor)
1/4 cup sugar
Mix all ingredients together and put into a sandwich size ziplock
bag and attach directions:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Crust
1. Place contents of package into a bowl and blend well.
2 Add 6 TBSP melted butter or margarine (not diet) and mix very well.
3. Grease a 9" pie pan or springform pan.
4. Place crumb mixture into pan. Use hands to flatten crumbs. For
pie pan, cover bottom and sides with crumbs. For springform pan,
either cover just the bottom of pan or also come about half way up
the sides. Press firmly until crust is even.
5. Bake unfilled crust 10 minutes at 325.
6. Allow the crust to cool for 5 minutes. Then add filling and bake.
NOTE: You could also use graham cracker crumbs or chocolate graham
cracker crumbs.

To make up kit:
Put cheesecake mix, pie crust mix with instructions, and the
following cheesecake recipe into a basket or however you would like
to package it.

Mint Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
2 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 Mint Chocolate Cheesecake Mix
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 9" crumb crust
Topping:
1 cup sour cream
2 TBSP sugar
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
1. Place cream cheese into large mixing bowl. Mix with electric
mixer.
2. Add cheesecake mix and vanilla. Mix well.
3. Add sour cream and eggs.
4. Spread mixture in prepared 9" crumb crust.
5. Bake at 350 for 38-43 minutes until center just barely shakes.
6. Remove cheesecake from oven. Turn oven up to 450.
7. Mix topping ingredients and spread over cheesecake.
8. Return cheesecake to oven for 5 minutes to set topping.
9. Place topping sprinkles evenly over top.
10. Let cheesecake cool 30 minutes on counter. Then chill 4 hours in
refrigerator or 2 hours in freezer.