Peanut Butter Cheesecake
-Madeline Escolas in Columbus, Ohio
(1st Prize, National Peanut Butter Festival Recipe Contest)

Crust:
1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 stick butter

Peanut Butter Mixture:
1/2 cup peanut butter
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar

Cheese Filling:
2 8-oz. packages of cream cheese
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 large eggs

Crust: mix graham cracker crumbs with sugar, add melted butter and press into 9-inch glass pie pan. Bake at 325° for 8 minutes.

Peanut butter mixture: using a fork, cut in powdered sugar with peanut butter until balls form. Cut in brown sugar. Pour over crust. Save 2 tablespoons for garnish.

Cheese filling: mix softened cream cheese with sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and eggs. Beat 5 minutes. Pour over peanut butter mixture and garnish with remaining peanut butter mixture. Bake at 350° until done (approximately 35 minutes). Cool 3 hours.