Whatever you’re doing today, I hope you’re doing it happily and in the company of loved ones. Merry Christmas to all of you celebrating, and Happy 1st Day of the NBA season to everyone!

While this is obviously not a recipe blog and I cook only a few times each year, I thought I’d share my very favorite dessert recipe. It tastes like something you’d get at The Cheesecake Factory, but even I can make it. Enjoy! (And enjoy it now before those New Year’s Resolutions begin!)

I saved this recipe from a blog that is now defunct.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

1 roll of refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3 packages cream cheese (at room temperature)
3/4 cup sugar
1-2 cups chocolate chips

Press cookie dough on bottom of springform pan. When I use homemade cookie dough, I just spread enough to thoroughly cover the bottom of the pan with a layer as thick as a cookie. Thoroughly mix following four ingredients together. If the cream cheese is not softened to room temperature it will cause the cheesecake to be lumpy. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour mixture over cookie dough and bake at 350 degrees until done. The original recipe said the cheesecake should be done in about one hour but I keep checking it every 5 minutes after it has been cooking for 45 minutes. Usually it takes my cheesecake about an hour and a half to bake.