1 lb. block-style cream cheese
3/4 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temp.
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon peel
1 (21 oz.) can cherry pie filling
12 oz. box vanilla wafers
1/2 c. butter, softened
4 dozen mini-muffin foil cups
2 or 4 mini-muffin baking pans

FILLING: Beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs, lemon juice, and lemon peel at low speed in medium mixing bowl until smooth; set aside.

CRUST: Fit food processor with steel blade; divide vanilla wafers in thirds and process in batches; do not overprocess to consistency of flour; put processed wafers in medium mixing bowl and mix in softened butter with a fork; don't worry if mixture appears dry. Place mini-muffin foil cups in baking pans and press about 1 teaspoon of crust into each one, pressing down hard to bottom of cups. Spread 1 teaspoon of filling carefully over crust in each cup.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes; cool completely. Strain remaining pie filling slightly to remove excess syrup; using chopsticks or a fork place two to three cherries on top of baked filling. Recipe makes 4 dozen; mini-muffin baking pans make 1 dozen or 2 dozen to a pan.