| 1 | * strawberries should be thawed and drained thoroughly ** cream cheese should be softened prepare chocolate crumb crust. |
| 2 | Heat oven to 400°F. |
| 3 | In blender or food processor puree strawberries to yield ?cup; set aside. |
| 4 | In small microwave-safe bowl, place chocolate chips. |
| 5 | Microwave at high 1 ?minutes; stir. |
| 6 | If necessary, microwave at high an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, just until chips are melted when stirred; set aside. |
| 7 | In large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese with sugar until smooth. |
| 8 | Blend in eggs, sour cream, flour, vanilla and salt; beat until smooth. |
| 9 | In separate bowl, stir together 1 1/3 cups batter and remaining 1 tsp. flour with strawberries; add food color if desired. |
| 10 | Pour strawberry batter into crust. |
| 11 | Carefully spoon 2 cups vanilla batter over strawberry batter; smooth surface. |
| 12 | Stir melted chocolate into remaining batter; carefully smooth over vanilla batter, smoothing surface. |
| 13 | Bake 10 minutes. |
| 14 | Reduce oven temperature to 350°F; continue baking 55 to 60 minutes or until center is almost set. |
| 15 | Remove from oven to cooling rack. |
| 16 | Cool 30 minutes. |
| 17 | Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool to room temperature. |
| 18 | Refrigerate serveral hours or overnight; remove rim of pan. |
| 19 | Cover; refrigerate leftovers. |
| 20 | Chocolate crumb crust: heat oven to 350°F. |
| 21 | In small bowl, stir together 1 ?cups vanill wafers crumbs (about 45 wafers), ?cup powdered sugar and ?cup cocoa; blend in 1/3 cup melted butter or margarine. |
| 22 | Press mixture onto bottom of 9" springform pan. |
| 23 | Bake 8 minutes. |
