Joyce's Christmas Party

My niece, Joyce, had a Christmas party and invited three of her friends to her house on December 10th.  I made sugar cookies, turtle cheesecake bites and Oreo cheesecake bites to go with all the other food her mother made. Luke and Avery were here for the weekend so they got to join Joyce, her friends and her brother, James. 

Cheesecake bites (See recipe below)

Cousins

The boys

The girls

Turtle Cheesecake Bites
 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs
• 4 1/2 T margarine melted
• 25 caramels
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 packages (8 oz) cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 eggs
• pecans pieces
• mini chocolate chips

Instructions:

Mix Oreo crumbs and melted margarine, then press into mini paper cups. Microwave caramels and milk until caramels are melted. Pour small amount on crust and refrigerate approximately 10 minutes. Save remaining melted caramels for topping. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until well blended. Add eggs one at a time mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over caramel mixture and crust. Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 15-17 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool in pan on wire rack . Top each with mini chocolate chips and pecans then drizzle with melted caramel mixture. Refrigerate. (Makes approximately 48 mini cheesecakes.)

Note: I made the mini Oreo cheesecakes using the same recipe above but omitting the caramels, milk, pecans and chocolate chips. After adding the cream cheese mixture over the crust I added several small pieces of an Oreo and pressed partway into the mixture.