Creamy Vanilla Cheesecake

Five 8 ounce packages of cream cheese at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Beat the cream cheese at slow speed just until smooth.  Add eggs, one at a time until blended, add vanilla. 

Do not beat any longer than necessary, you don't want air added to the mixture.

Pour into prepared crust.
Bake 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Then turn the oven off, crack the door open, and let the cheesecake set for 30 minutes.   Remove and cool completly, then cover and chill for at least 8 hours.

Cooling the cheesecake properly keeps the texture right and keeps it from sweating when you place it in the refrigerator. 


Grahan Cracker Crust :
1 2/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup softened butter

Combine crumes and butter, press into bottom and up the sides just a little of 10 inch springform pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes then fill with cheesecake mixture and continue. 


Rachel Ward gave me this recipe in the early 80s.  It gets raves every time I make it.  I have shared it many many times and everyone loves it.  Cheesecakes are not hard to make, you just have to follow the steps of baking/cooling/chilling