Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake

For Valentine's Day, Joe and I like to stay in and make a nice dinner for each other. Joe worked on the main dish (lasagna) and I did the side dishes (Italian bread and salad) and dessert. For dessert I turned to a family recipe book that was put together a few years ago and made my cousin Holly's chocolate turtle cheesecake. This dessert was so delicious and very easy to put together! I highly recommend making this - I think it may be my new favorite dessert.

CHOCOLATE TURTLE CHEESECAKE

• 1 Oreo pie crust
• 1 7-ounce package of caramels
• 1/4 cup evaporated milk
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 6 ounces cream cheese
• 1 1/4 cup milk
• 1 3.9-ounce package chocolate instant pudding mix
• 1/2 cup fudge topping

Place caramels and evaporated milk in a heavy saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring continually until smooth (about 5 minutes). Stir in 1/2 cup chopped pecans and then pour the mixture into the pie crust. Combine cream cheese, sour cream, and milk in a blender. Process until smooth. Add pudding mix, process for about 30 seconds. Pour pudding mixture over caramel layer, cover evenly. Chill, loosely covered, until set. Drizzle fudge topping over pudding layer in a decorative pattern. Sprinkle top of cake with remaining pecans. Chill until serving time.