cheap trick

Sometimes you need an easy way to impress people. You need to knock their socks off with your awesome, casual all-together-ness. Sometimes you're having people over and you need to throw something together to feed them. Sometimes you need something you can scarf down in the middle of the night while rewatching "An Affair to Remember" and trying to forget your own. Sometimes you just need a dish to take to a potluck. Whatever the need, this cheesecake will fill it. It's the dish upon which my entire (undeserved) reputation as a "good cook" is based. Well, this and my apple dumplings. But that's another story for another day.

Heat oven to 350.
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt a golf-ball-sized glob of shortening. Or half a stick of butter. Whichever works. Add about 1 cup of crumbs (I've used graham crackers, gingersnaps, and vanilla wafers. I got the most compliments when I used Honey Bunches of Oats. Yes. The cereal. People loved it.), a tablespoon of sugar, and a shake of cinnamon. Stir until combined, then press into the bottom of a ten-inch springform pan. Or the sides and bottom of a pie pan, if you must. Pop into the oven for about ten minutes.
Now, cream together your cream cheese and sugar until they're smooth. Use four or five blocks, depending on how much cheesecake you want (less if you're using a pie pan). For sugar, I usually use a cup for five blocks of cream cheese, and it results in a not-too-sweet cheesecake. Reduce that a little for less cream cheese.
Add the eggs one at a time. You want one less egg than you have blocks of cream cheese. Mix in completely, then add some vanilla. A couple of teaspoons or a tablespoon, whatever. Vanilla is good.
Pour the whole thing into the now-cooling crust, and smooth out the top. Pop into the oven for an hour or so--until the middle is "set." Then pull out and let it cool. But don't turn off the oven just yet! Turn it UP to 400.
Now, this part is important because if your cheesecake cracks (and sometimes they will) it covers it up. Mix together 1 cup of sour cream (NOT light. It won't set correctly.), 1/4 cup sugar, and some more vanilla. Taste it, make sure it's sweet-but-tangy, and then spread on the cooled top of the cheesecake. Put back into the oven for ten more minutes.
Let the whole thing cool for a couple of hours (one hour in the freezer will do it) and serve.

See? Way too easy to be considered impressive. The best part is, once you understand the ratios, you can do it from memory. Serve with fresh fruit, a drizzle of chocolate, or just plain, but always with a cup of strong coffee. Instant glamour.