An Early Valentine Treat

Advice from the Wilderness
Keep a sense of adventure
Listen to the Wind
Be taken by wonder
Tread lightly on the earth
Immerse yourself in nature
Let the storms pass
Take a hike.

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Amaretti Cherry Cheesecake Pie  

Cook’s Notes: This pie features a special crust of crushed amaretti cookies or dark chocolate almond biscotti which can be found in a box in the cookie aisle. Use a ready-made jarred cherry sauce or a homemade cherry sauce for the topping. 

Ingredients:

• 2-1/4 cups crushed cookie crumbs or a box of dark chocolate almond biscotti
• 1/3 cup toasted almonds
• ½ tsp. cinnamon 
• 4 TB. melted butter
• 2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup sugar 
• 1 tsp. almond extract or 1 TB. Amaretto 
• ¼ cup half and half
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 jar of Michigan Cherry Sauce
• Crushed almonds

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
• Use a food processor to make the crust. Add butter, cinnamon and toasted almonds. 
• Press crust evenly in a 9 inch pie pan and press down crumbs. Refrigerate crust while making filling.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese adding in sugar and almond extract or liqueur.
• Beat until fluffy adding in half and half. Stir in eggs and mix well. 
• Bake pie for 25- 30 minutes or until a knife inserted to center comes out clean. 
• Cool and refrigerate. Right before serving add a drizzle of cherry sauce and a sprinkle of toasted almonds to each pie slice.