Tailgate Tuesday: Miniature Cheesecakes

(note: Tailgate Tuesday posts are special features written for the SideLion Report from us gals of The Thrifty Table. Check in every Tuesday for a new recipe perfect for that week's tailgate party!)

We are girls, so we have to include cheesecake somewhere in this football season. What could be better than eating a scrumptious Philadelphia cream cheese desert while the Lions play the Eagles? (Well, a win maybe). These miniature cheesecakes are easy to make, and you can add whatever topping you like. We guarantee that they will be gone before the first touchdown!

Miniature Cheesecakes (adapted from a recipe on allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) package vanilla wafers
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese (Philadelphia brand!)
  
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• fresh strawberries, pie filling, or other topping
• whipped cream (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line muffin tins paper liners.
2. Place one vanilla wafer into each paper cup.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Fill each miniature muffin liner with this mixture, almost to the top.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Cool. Top with a teaspoonful of topping and whipped cream.