Recipe: STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE

CRUST
9 oz pkg Stella D'oro Almond Delight cookies or use a graham cracker crust
3 tbs butter, melted

4 bricks 8 oz each cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tbs cornstarch
4 large eggs, room temp
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 cup seedless strawberry jam
2 pints strawberries, bottoms sliced evenly

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 9x3" springform pan with cooking spray.
2. CRUST---Break up cookies into a food processor. Add butter, pulse until fine crumbs form. Press over bottom of pan. Freeze until ready to fill.
3. Beat cream cheese, sugar and cornstarch in a bowl until smooth. Beat in eggs until blended. Add sour cream and vanilla and almond extract, beat until combined.
4. Pour 2 cups batter into pan, spread evenly. Dot with 1/4 cup jam. Spoon on 2 cups batter, spread evenly. Dot with 1/4 cup jam, spoon on rest of batter and spread.
5. Bake 45 min. or until cake puffs slightly around edges and center still jiggles slightly. Turn off oven (leave door closed) leave cake in oven 45 min.
6. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to release cake (leave on pan sides). Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours.
7. BEFORE SERVING---Arrange strawberries, points up, on top of cake. Heat remaining 1/2 cup jam in microwave or in a small pan over low heat until melted. Stir until smooth. SPOON OVER BERRIES, REFRIGERATE TO SET JAM, THEN SERVE.

Makes 16 servings.