A Savory Cheesecake for Blogger Clue Society

Each month a bunch of us get together to Cook-Learn-Undertake-Eat.  We call ourselves the Blogger CLUE Society.  We are assigned a theme and another member of the club.  We go onto that person's blog and look for a recipe that we would like to make within the parameters of the theme we were given.

This month I was lucky enough to be assigned to Kim of Liv Life, who lives this life in San Diego with her husband and children including daughter, Liv, for whom the blog is named and two adorable Maltese pups.  Kim and her husband are photographers and it is glorious going through her posts.

This month our theme was Celebrate, which you have to admit is the perfect theme for this time of year.  Of course, every blogging group to which I belong has been doing Holiday foods, mostly desserts.  I can't believe that I am saying this, but folks, I am desserted out!  And it is only the second week of December!!!

We were hosting my husbands work party this past Saturday so I decided to find a recipe that I could serve as an appetizer.  I found this wonderful Mexican Dip in a Cup that I am definitely keeping in mind for my next Fiesta.  I was very intrigued by the Guacamole Deviled Eggs.  Doesn't that sound delicious and now that my ladies are done striking, I have more eggs than I know what to do with. But then I saw this Savory Pesto Cheesecake and my search was over.  This was exactly what I was looking for.  Easy to make and elegant to serve.  

The crust is made from bread crumbs, pine nuts and butter.

Lightly toast the pine nuts and put them in a food processor with the bread crumbs.

Melt the butter in the pan used for toasting the pine nuts.

Add the butter to the food processor and pulse a few times.

Press this mixture into the bottom of a springform pan.

My springform pan has seen better days.

Maybe Santa will bring me a new one this year.

Combine the remaining ingredients.

I took Kim's suggestion and used cream cheese instead of ricotta.

I used a  sundried tomato pesto.

Use any flavor pesto you like.

Spread the cheese mixture over the crust and place in a preheated oven.

It turned out lovely and was sooooooo good.

How good?  Three people at the party requested this recipe.

Thanks Liv Life....I was proud to place this on my Appetizer Buffet.

Savory Pesto Cheesecake

adapted from Liv Life

Crust:

2/3 c. dry bread crumbs

5 T. pine nuts, toasted

2 T. butter, melted

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until combined.  Press into the bottom of a springform pan that has been sprayed with cooking oil.  Set aside.

Filling:

2 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese

1/2 c. light cream

2 T. shredded parmesan cheese

2 T. flour

pinch of salt

1 garlic clove, minced

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup prepared pesto

Place cheeses, cream, flour, salt and garlic into a bowl and beat until smooth. Add eggs and beat on low speed just until combined.  Pour over crust.  Drop the pesto in small spoonfuls over the filling and swirl with a knife.  Bake in a preheated 350* oven for 35-40 minutes, or until center is nearly set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before carefully running a sharp knife around the sides and removing from pan.  Cool completely and refrigerate overnight before serving.  Print Recipe

Look at all these great treat with which to Celebrate!!

• A Savory Cheesecake by Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Almond Shortbread Cookies by Lisa from Authentic Suburban Gourmet
• Black Forest Trifle by Rebekah from Making Miracles
• Blueberry Lemon Bars by Anna from annaDishes
• Bourbon Apricot Meatballs by Christiane from Taking on Magazines
• Cheesy Garlic Blooming Loaf by Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva
• Cookie Dough Cheese Ball by Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Handcrafted Baileys Irish Cream by Debra from Eliot's Eats
• Henri's Tastee Dressing by Kate from Kate's Kitchen
• Homemade Onion Rosemary Bread by Kim from Liv Life
• Italian Anisette Cookies by Sue from A Palatable Pastime
• Party Meatballs by Azmina from Lawyer Loves Lunch
• San Permis Sparkling Cocktail by Stacy from Food Lust People Love
• Tartiflette by Kate from Kate's Kitchen
• The Randy Reindeer by Kathy from A Spoonful of Thyme
• White Chocolate Chip Cookie Soufflés by Lauren from Sew You Think You Can Cook