Blue-Ribbon Cheesecake

Found this in Good Housekeeping Magazine, May, 2006. From Lindell Hughes of Neosho, Missouri. She made this as a young girl for a 4-H competition and her recipe eventually won a prize at the state fair. It is made in a 13" X 9" glass or ceramic baking dish. Cooling and chilling time not included in estimates nor is the extra hour in the oven after baking.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 16

Ingredients

• 2  cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1⁄2 cup butter, melted
• 1  teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 3  large eggs
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 1  cup sour cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a 13" X 9" ceramic or glass baking dish, mix crumbs, butter, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of the sugar until crumbs are moistened. Reserve 1 cup of the crumb mixture. Press remaining mixture firmly onto the bottom of dish.
2. In a large mixing bowl, with mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, eggs, vanilla, 1/8 teaspoons of salt, and remaining sugar until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add sour cream; beat 30 seconds or until blended.
3. Pour cream cheese mixture over the crumb crust and spread evenly. Bake 20 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven and sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture. Return to oven; bake 10 minutes longer. Turn off oven and leave cake inside the oven for 1 hour. Remove the cake and cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 3 hours or overnight.