Oreo Cheesecake

This month the temperature is about as cold as it gets here in Buenos Aires so 'tis the season for expats to flee the "cold" and spend a generally long period of time back in the US. Although we are not planning on spending prolonged periods of time in the US, we can certainly relate to the desire for products from home. In the time that we've lived here we've discovered that there are things that we cannot find here and request that people bring us when they visit, but there are other things, specifically, food related items, that we are able to adapt to local ingredients. Here is one of those recipes.

As far as I know, there are no graham crackers in Argentina. There are crackers you can use that are similar, but no actual graham crackers. For me, this means no s'mores and (more importantly) no cheesecake crust. Behold! There is an alternative! Oreo cookies for the crust! And Oreo cookies are an internationally enjoyed dessert. So are two of my mom's recipes mashed into one, Buenos Aires friendly, delicious cheesecake.

Oreo Cookie Cheesecake

1/4 cup (60 g) melted margarine or butter
2, 8 oz (225 g) packages cream cheese softened
14 oz (400 g) can sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 cups crushed Oreos (about 18), plus 3-5 more for topping

Preheat oven to 300. Combine crumbs and butter pat firmly on bottom of 9" spring form pan.

In a large mixer beat cheese until fluffy. Add condensed milk beat until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla mix well. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 1 hour or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining 3-5 crushed Oreos on top. Cool to room temperature. Chill and remove side of spring form pan.

I like to serve this dessert with strawberries and whipped cream. If I were Martha Stewart I would make my own whipped cream, but instead I buy whipped cream from a can (Chantilly brand here) and serve it that way. Also, as with most fruits here, strawberries are only in season when they are actually in season so I substitute blueberries or mangos or peaches for the fruit as well. Disfruten!