Garden Vegetable Cheesecake
Instead of a dessert cheesecake, this is a savory one that can be served for lunch or dinner.
Cracker Crust
- 2 cups cheddar cheese crackers, crushed into coarse crumbs (low fat is good)
- 4 tbs melted butter
Cream Cheese Filling
- 1 package low-fat cream cheese (8 oz)
- 1 cup plain unsweetened yogurt
- 1/2 cup pimento-stuffed olives, drained
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped into chunks
- 1 stalk of celery, cut into chunks
- 1 small onion, cut into chunks
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 dash red pepper hot sauce (to taste)
Crush cheese crackers in a bag with a rolling pin, or with a food processor. Stir in melted butter until crackers are evenly coated. Dump 1/2 of the crumbs into a 9" springform baking pan, and save the rest for later. Press cracker crumbs into pan with a sturdy spoon or bottom of measuring cup.
Combine yogurt and cream cheese in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Add chopped vegetables and seasonings, and blend again, until mixture is combined but vegetables are not totally liquefied. Refrigerate for 24 hours, and the mixture will set up. To serve, remove from refrigerator and slice. Garnish slices with remaining cheese cracker crumbs. Enjoy!
Note: Almost any kind of vegetables can be used for this recipe. For a different flavor, try sauteing vegetables in a skillet first, then allow to cool before adding to cheesecake mixture.