Cherries + Cheesecake = Cloud Nine

February 20, 2014 in Great Room, Kitchen

Happy Cherry Pie Day! I may have mentioned before that I am not a huge fan of fruit pies. Honestly, cherry pie really isn’t my thing, but I couldn’t let this day go by without celebrating somehow.

I think adding the word “cheesecake” is the best thing that can happen to a pie.

I’m also a huge fan of desserts I can cut into bars. I mean, let’s be real. Bars are so much easier to eat. And so much easier to justify *just one more.*

One more bar? Sure! It’s not like I’m eating a whole piece of pie!

So let’s celebrate Cherry Pie Day with some fabulous Cherry Cheesecake Bars. All in favor?

I brought these to the kids’ school for the teachers’ monthly birthday treat from the PTA. I brought four different kinds of bars (and they were all delish!). When I went back later to clean up, there wasn’t even a crumb of these left on the plate. They’re so yummy.

cherry cheese bars


Cherry Cheese Bars

Crust:

  • 1 c walnut pieces, divided
  • 1-1/4 c flour
  • 1/2 c brown sugar
  • 1/2 c butter
  • 1/2 c coconut

Filling:

  • 2 pkg (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
  • 2/3 c sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling

Start with your prep work. Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Coarsely chop 1/2 c nuts and set them aside. You will use these later for the topping. Then chop the rest of the nuts.

For the crust, combine the flour and brown sugar. Cut in the butter until you have fine crumbs. Add 1/2 finely chopped nuts and mix well.

Take 1/2 cup of that mixture and add it to the nuts you set aside earlier. Press the rest into the the bottom of your baking dish. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Do not over bake.

For the filling, combine cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed until well blended. Spread over hot baked crust and return to the oven. Bake 15 minutes. Do not over bake.

Spread the cherry pie filling over the cheese layer. Of course for Cherry Pie Day we’ll use cherry, but you can substitute any flavor pie filling that sounds good to you. Next time I’m making strawberry. mmmmm I didn’t want big chunks of cherries, so I used my immersion blender to puree the pie filling a bit first.

Return it to the oven and bake another 15 minutes. (Do not over bake. Are you sensing a theme here? Don’t over bake.)

One more layer to go! If you haven’t mixed the nuts and crust mixture that you aside, do it now. Then sprinkle it over the pie filling. Return it to the oven one more time and bake another 15 minutes. And what’s our theme? Do not over bake.

Cool in the pan on a cooling rack, then refrigerate for several hours. When you’re ready to enjoy this delectable dessert, cut it into bars and try not to inhale it. If you do have any bars left over, store them in the fridge.

Savor every single scrumptious bite. Happy Cherry Pie Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day

February 14, 2014 in Master Suite

Today started like any other day. Woke up early and gathered with the family for scripture study. Breakfast. Mr. 4018 got ready for work and left with the older girls to drop them off at junior high. I went through the regular morning ritual with the littles:

Get ready for school. Clean up your breakfast dishes. Stop fighting with your sister! Get ready for school. Brush your teeth. Do you need help with your hair? Get ready for school. Grab your jacket. Are you ready to go? Get ready for school. It’s time to go. Why are you still in your pajamas? Get ready for school!

In the middle of all that fun, I heard someone walk in the front door. We have had some random guys wandering around the neighborhood lately – through closed gates into backyards and up to back doors, so at first I thought some crazy person was about to attack us. Always nice to start the morning with a good scare.

I had to figure out who was sneaking into my house. Do you know who I found? Mr. 4018!

That stinker acted like everything was normal all morning long. He even let me make him a lunch and send him off to work. He had his computer with him and was stressing about the girls getting out the door on time so he wouldn’t be late.

Then he walked back in the door and surprised me with the announcement that he had taken the day off of work and had no where else he needed to be.

Best. gift. ever.

I have NEVER seen him keep a surprise from me this well. Ever.

When we were engaged, he gave me a birthday week because he couldn’t keep a secret. hahaha He bought me a gift, couldn’t wait to give it to me and then felt bad that he didn’t have anything to give me on my birthday. So he got me another gift and couldn’t wait to give it to me. Then he felt bad that he didn’t have anything to give me on my birthday. That happened a few more times. Maybe that’s why he’s more of a last minute gift guy now.

So thanks to my husband’s fabulous surprise, we had the greatest Valentine’s Day in recent memory. We didn’t do anything earth shattering, but we got to spend the entire day together. It’s days like this that remind me why I love this man.

How did you celebrate?

happy-v-day

 

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