Monster Cheesecake (12x3 inch)

Lightly oil the parts of your pan and put parchment in the bottom. Make your crust and chill.

Put the widest pan you have inside your oven, under the shelf your cheesecake will be on and fill it with water. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Beat cream cheese and vanilla until smooth, then beat in remaining ingredients, 1/4 cup of the sugar at a time, and one egg at a time. Scrape the sides as needed.

Mix until very smooth and somewhat fluffy.

Pour cheesecake batter into the crust.

Put your pan on top of a baking sheet.

Put the cheesecake on the oven shelf above the water. Bake 55-65 minutes or until it is set across the top and very lightly browned. It will still wobble, don't worry about it.

Cool completely. If you find that your crust is leaking butter, set the pie on a paper towel; once you've chilled the cake, this will stop.

Refrigerate in the pan, covered with plastic wrap.

Optional:
Soften an 8 ounce package of cream cheese and 2 ounces of butter. Beat with 1/4 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice until smooth.

Beat in 2 cups of powdered sugar a little at a time, then add an additional tablespoon at a time until you are happy with the sweetness. Whip until nice and fluffy. Use an offset spatula to smooth it over the cake. Return the cake to the refrigerator.

After it has chilled for several hours at a minimum, set the pan on a tall cup. Gently work your way around it and pop the sides free, then slide the outside down. Move the cake on the base to more stable surface. Moving quickly, lift the cake, remove the parchment, and place the cake on a serving platter. It will probably be helpful to have a second pair of hands so that you can hold it with both hands and have someone else pull the parchment off.

Top as desired when serving.