This “cleaned up” cheesecake is a result of a summertime visit to The Cheesecake Factory, and my oldest daughter’s request to have it again. And since cheesecake is one of the few sweets that I do eat, I was happy to oblige!

Crust:

• 1 package (12 oz) of Country Choice Organic Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
• 2 Tablespoons organic butter, melted

Cheesecake:

• 2 (8 ounce) packages reduced-fat, organic cream cheese, softened
• 1 container (15 oz) Organic Ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup organic sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (no trans fat PB like Jif or Peter Pan!)

Chocolate Drizzle:

• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Garnish:

• Unreal or Justin’s Peanut Butter cups,  chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place cookies into food processor and process into crumbs.

3. Press cookie crumbs into bottom of 10-inch spring-form pan. Bake 5 minutes and cool on wire rack. Reduce oven heat to 300 degrees.

4. Beat softened cream cheese, ricotta cheese, sugar, honey and vanilla until creamy. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Divide batter equally into two bowls.

5. Melt chocolate chips in microwave in 30 sec. intervals, stirring each time until melted. Stir into one of the bowls of batter and then pour batter into slightly cooled crust. Microwave peanut butter in the same way as the chocolate chips and stir the melted peanut butter into the other bowl of batter. Dollop peanut butter batter on top of chocolate layer. With a knife, gently swirl the peanut butter layer with the chocolate layer.

6. Bake cheesecake at 300 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until center is almost set.

7. Place on cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

8. Place melted chocolate chips into a plastic bag. Cut the corner of the plastic bag and use it as a piping bag. Drizzle top of cheesecake with chocolate and add extra around edges to create “glue” for the peanut butter cup pieces. Place chopped peanut butter cups around the edges on the extra chocolate.

9. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Carefully run a knife between the crust and pan before unlatching.