Simply Sweet Caramel Cheesecake

I finally made my birthday cheesecake.  Which is quite bittersweet.  Bitter because it means that my birthday is finally over.  Sweet because, well...CHEESECAKE!  What I am really excited about is the fact that I sort of made it up.  On my own.  Sort of.  I used what I knew of making graham cracker crusts.  I used what I knew of the basics for the cheesecake part.  But it was MY brilliant idea, as I strolled down the candy aisle at Sam's, to begin contemplating the possibility of using Milky Way Simply Caramel bars in the cheesecake.  Have you had these?  It's a Milky Way the way it should be.  WITH JUST THE CARAMEL, and no soft nougat or whatever 3 Muskateer-ish element they put in there.  I grew up with my grandma making Milky Way Cake, using REAL Milky Way bars.  And it is hands down my favorite cake ever!!  SO...since I am on a cheesecake kick right now, and I saw the Simply Caramel Milky Ways, I thought "There HAS to be a way to combine these!"

I am NOT an experimenter.  I love to cook.  BUT I NEED A RECIPE!  I get too anxious without one.  I am too scared to mess it up.  So I stick to a recipe.  Because I'm a coward in the kitchen, unless I have clear, SIMPLE instructions.  I find it exciting that I made up my own cheesecake.

Crust:
1 1/2 graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup melted butter

Mix graham cracker crumbs and sugar together in a small bowl, using a fork.  Yes I know...I said a FORK and not some fancy PC product!!  But in this case, a fork is better.  Mix in the butter until crumbly.  Press into spring form pan and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Caramel Sauce:
6 Milky Way Simply Caramel bars
4 oz. evaporated milk

Cut bars into small pieces and put in a large bowl microwave safe dish.  Add evaporated milk.  Melt on high for 45 seconds.  Stir, then continue melting in 30 second intervals until smooth.  Set aside.

Cheesecake filling:

3 (8oz) packages cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (though I used half that amount of REAL vanilla-not because I'm cooler than use, just because I love it)
2 eggs

In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth.  Add eggs, one at a time.  Mix until smooth.  Do not over-mix.

Pour caramel mixture over the cooled crust.  Next pour the cheesecake mixture over the caramel.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, or just until set.   Cool for one hour and then refrigerate overnight.  Slice and enjoy.

***I need to add this disclaimer.  While the cheesecake was delicious, I am going to make it again, this time doubling the amount of "filling" I put in between the crust and the cheesecake.  It that still isn't sufficient, I am going to melt down the candy bars, thin them out just a little, and add them to the cheesecake mixture.  I may even try both.  Stay tuned.  I will perfect this cheesecake.***