Red Velvet Cheesecake Bars

I made these today to bring to the Schmeling Thanksigivng Potluck. A crazy amount of fun was had. These bars were a big hit. This was my first foray into cheesecake that wasn't instant from a jello package. Don't me wrong, I LOVE Jello cheesecake. In fact, I just requested one at my birthday supper 2 weeks ago, and it was fabulous. I could've eaten the whole thing myself. But I thought this one looked pretty in the picture, and looked like it would be yummy to eat. It's from the Holiday 2011 Kraft Food & Family.

Red Velvet Cheesecake Bars
24 oreo cookies, finely crushed (I think it could've used more...the bottom layer was quite thin)
1/4 cup butter, melted
6 squares semi-sweet chocolate, divided
3 pkg (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 tbsp red food coloring

Heat oven to 350. Mix cookie crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 13x9 pan sprayed with cooking spray. Melt 4 chocolate squares in a medium bowl and set aside.

Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with mixer until well blended. Add eggs; beat just until blended. Remove 2 cups batter to bowl with melted chocolate; add food coloring and stir until well blended. Carefully spread over crust; cover with remaining plain batter.

Bake 26 to 28 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Melt remaining 2 chocolate squares and drizzle over dessert (I put the melted chocolate in a ziploc baggie and snipped a tiny corner from the bottom and drizzled it that way). Refrigerate 4 hours.

So like I said, pretty good. Some people thought they were raspberry, and mentally I was kind of expecting a berry taste when I ate it, because of the color that they were. But it was chocolately. Red velvet is weird. But good. Another one to keep!