Week 17: Banana Macadamia Cheese Pie

Well, my cheesecake experiment is coming to its end with only one more to go.  This has been a great learning experience!  But I'm not going to lie - I'm fine with not seeing or eating another piece of cheesecake for a long time ;)  
This week's cheesecake was another cheese pie.  This recipe was an easy one to follow and not as tedious as the recipe for the last cheesecake.  If you're a banana fan, I think you'll like this cheese pie.  The cookbook suggests serving it with whipped topping, but I also think chocolate ice cream would go well with this pie - as if there aren't enough calories in a piece of cheesecake!  LOL.  But if you bake it, there's no calories, right?

Here is George Geary's Banana Macadamia Cheese Pie recipe:

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tbsp unsalted butter melted
3/4 cup ripe mashed bananas (about 3 large)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 cup macadamia nuts, toasted and ground (you can substitute with pecans which are cheaper)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp vanilla

Whipped Cream Topping
Banana Chips

In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and butter.  Press into bottom and sides of pie plate and freeze.
In a large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese, bananas and brown sugar on medium high speed for 3 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating each egg thoroughly before adding the next.  Fold in flour, macadamia nuts, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla.  Pour batter over frozen crust.  Bake in a preheated oven for 25 - 35 minutes or until the top is a light brown and middle has a slight jiggle.  Cool at room temperature for 2 hours.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours.