Turtle Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
14 ounces individually wrapped caramels (unwrapped)
1 (5oz) can evaporated milk
1 cup chopped pecans
3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
1 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter one 9" springform pan
2 - Toast the pecans at 350 degrees for 6 minutes. Remove pecans and set aside. Leave oven at 350 degrees.
3 - In a small saucepan, melt the butter.
4 - Combine vanilla wafer crumbs with the melted butter and press into the bottom of the buttered springform pan. Place the pan on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 350. Remove and allow to cool.
5 - In a double boiler, melt the caramels in the evaporated milk. Stir until smooth. Pour this mixture over the cooked crust. Sprinkle the nuts over the top.
6 - In a bowl, combine the cheese, sugar, and vanilla and beat until smooth, scraping down the bowl several times. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until smooth.
7 - Melt the chocolate chips in the double boiler.
8 - Pour the cheese mixture over the caramel layer. When chocolate is melted drizzle over the cheese mixture and swirl with the edge of a knife.
9 - Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until barely set. Chill in refrigerator overnight before serving.

THOUGHTS:
Clayton chose this cheesecake to make for my upcoming dinner party. We tried it once as a trial and found it to be extremely tasty. I have very little experience with cheesecake and we did have trouble removing it from the springform pan. I'm hoping that was just bad luck and it will work better on the second try.