Decadent Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Okay, as always when I do a post on something I baked I just have to say how excited and amazed I am that it did! It's always that feeling you had when you rode your bike without it's training wheels for the very first time.....that first bite and I know it turned out is the same feeling for me. I'm really starting to relate to the rat in the movie Ratatouille......the premise of the movie being, "Anyone can cook." Well....I'm seeing that anyone can bake too! But I say over and over again...my baking has two phases. Phase one was "pre-Minnie". Phase two is "post-Minnie". Minnie being my pink Kitchen-Aid mixer my sister treated me to for my birthday last year. It truly has changed my life! I am still hesistant and choosy on what I try...for fear it won't turn out....but that's part of learning I've found. At least MOST of my stuff turns out now, where as before hardly ANY of my stuff did. Anywhoo....on to the cheesecake....I saw it in the February issue of Better Homes and Garden and KNEW I had to try it....I've been in Chocolate-Peanut Butter mood for weeks...This is not too hard and worth every calorie....this would be a wonderful treat for Valentine's Day....get the ingredients and try it. Here we go....

18 chocolate graham cracker squares, finely crushed (1 1/2 cups I actually used two of the three packages in the box....this made 2 cups and it was perfect!)
1/2 cup of butter, melted...again I used two more tablespoons of butter because I used a bit more crushed graham crackers.
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 package semi-sweet chocolate pieces
2 Tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Peanuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine crackers, melted butter and 3 Tbsp. sugar. Press into bottom and 1 inch up sides of a 9-inch springform pan; set aside. In bowl beat 1 package cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth. Beat in peanut butter and 1/4 cup sugar until combined. Fold in lightly beaten egg; set aside.

2. In saucepan stir chocolate over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Cube remaining cream cheese; add to chocolate. Stir to combine. Stir in milk and vanilla until smooth. Fold in 2 lightly beaten eggs. Spread half the chocolate mixture into the pan. Carefully spread all the peanut butter mixture over layer. Evenly spread remaining chocolate mixture.

3. Bake 45 minutes or until top is set when lightly shaken. Outer 2 inches of top will be slightly puffed and dry-looking center will look darker and wet. Cool in pan on rack 15 minutes. Use small sharp knife to loosen crust from sides; cool 30 minutes. Remove sides of pan; cool completely on rack. Cover, chill 4 hours. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with peanuts. Makes 16 servings.

Seriously.......this is soooooooo worth it! And I'd like to add a special thanks to my dear friend Bragarmar for treating me to a set of springform pans last football season :)