Review of last recipe - Herb Glazed Pork Chops (photo above) - The sauce was good, but not great.  Not a keeper.

TODAY'S RECIPE - CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE (actually, New York
                             Chocolate Cheesecake)
This dense chocolate cheesecake can be refrigerated up to two days or frozen.
NOTE:  After baking, it needs to set in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
16 servings - 375 degree oven

3 pkgs (8 oz each) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
12 oz semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream

Chocolate Crumb Crust
1 pkg (8-8 1/2 oz) chocolate wafers, crumbled coarse
6 tbsp butter, melted

In large bowl, beat cream cheese until very smooth.  Add vanilla, salt and sugar; beat until very smooth.  Add chocolate and beat until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, scraping bowl and beating well after each. Add sour cream; beat until smooth. Spoon into crumb crust (recipe below) and smooth top.

Bake in lower third of preheated 375 degree oven for 1 hour (cake will still be soft).  Cool completely on rack.  Leave in pan; cover top with foil and refrigerate overnight.  With sharp heavy knife, cut around sides of crust; pressing knife blade firmly against pan as you cut.  Release and remove sides of pan.  Insert firm (not flexible) metal spatula gently under crust and ease around to release cake completely from bottom of pan.  Cake will be firm and easy to transfer.  (At the point, cake can be refrigerated or wrapped airtight and frozen.  If frozen, thaw, wrapped, in refrigerator overnight.)  Place on a large platter, and serve cold with whipped cream, if desired.

Chocolate Crumb Crust
In food processor, whirl wafers to make 2 cups fine crumbs (or place wafers in plastic bag and crush with rolling pin --- the method I actually prefer).  Place in small bowl and stir in butter until well blended.  Grease sides only of 9" x 3" springform pan.  Tilting pan slightly, press 2/3 of the crumb mixture firmly 2 1/" up the sides of the pan.  Press remaining crumb mixture firmly on the bottom, and set aside.

Nutritional Information:  464 calories, 7 G protein, 37 G carbs, 34 G fat, 120 mg cholesterol