4th of July Cheesecake

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4th of July is this weekend.  It’s hard to believe that we are in July already. This patriotic cheesecake is great for serving at parties. Each layer has its own color. To give it that fresh taste I went ahead and added some summer favorite strawberries and blueberries. I hope everyone has a great and safe holiday weekend with family and friends. 

Filling Ingredients: 
3 (8oz) packages cream cheese
2-3 drops red food coloring 
2-3 drops blue food coloring
3 large eggs, room temperature

1 (14oz) can of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
12 strawberries, cut in halves or quarters 
1 cup blueberries 
 
Crust ingredients: 
 
2 cups Keebler graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoons sugar
 
Crust preparation: 
 
In a medium bowl toss together crumbs, butter and sugar. Pour the mixture in a 9 inch springform pan. Press down and to the sides of the pan. Chill for 20 minutes in the refrigerator
 
Cheesecake preparation: 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
 

In a large bowl with an electric mixer  beat the cream cheese on medium to high speed until smooth and fluffy. Next slowly add the eggs one at a time. Add sweetened condensed. Now separate mixture in  3 different bowls. Add food coloring to each, except for one. Stir food coloring until well incorporated. Pour mixture into crust one at a time. 

Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, until nearly set, but jiggles a bit in the center. Cool for 1 hour. Chill  for 6 hours or overnight. Top with fruit. 

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Check out the other great dishes from this week’s Food Network Blog #SummerSoiree below:

Feed Me Phoebe: Red Beet Hummus Recipe with Lemony Yogurt
The Heritage Cook: Tangy Caprese Salad with Pickled Cherries (Gluten-Free)
Creative Culinary: July 4th Red, White and Blue Patriotic Poke Cake
Weelicious: Blue Corn Chip Crusted Fish Sticks with Red Pepper Coulis
The Lemon Bowl: 3 Steps to Perfectly Cooked Sweet Corn
Bacon and Souffle: Red, White and Blue Bark
Healthy Eats: 5 Frozen Treats for a Sweet Fourth
Taste with the Eyes: Dessert for the 4th of July: Elderflower Berry Pavlova
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Best Ever Elk Burgers For The 4th of July
Red or Green: Roasted Sweet Pepper Salad
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Heirloom Tomato Pie
In Jennie’s Kitchen: Summer Raspberry Sorbet
Homemade Delish: 4th of July Cheesecake
FN Dish: Portable Picks to Make and Take on July 4th