Happy Easter Sunday everyone! I have a perfect spring recipe to share with you today from Leigh Anne of Your Home Based Mom! I think you are in for a treat! We have the best of both worlds... a yummy lemon layer with a lemon cheesecake layer too!
Hello!!! Fabulous!
Let's jump right into the interview (we have to hurry and get to those bars)! Oh... and as usual I am going to sprinkle the prep pics throughout the interview so you can fully ensconce yourself in the recipe!
LollyChops: What topping(s) do you like on your pizza?
Leigh Anne: I am a purist - plain cheese! Boring I know! LollyChops: If you were a salad, which dressing would you pick?
Leigh Anne: A nice light balsamic vinaigrette with some garlic!
LollyChops: What's your favorite ice cream flavor?
Leigh Anne: Anything with a vanilla base with chocolate and caramel.
LollyChops: Butter cream frosting or whipped?
Leigh Anne: Definitely butter cream. I eat cake for the frosting. I recently went to a bakery that offered "frosting shots"!
LollyChops: I could totally do some frosting shots!!!!!!
LollyChops: If a recipe calls for a clove of garlic – how much do you really use?
Leigh Anne: I usually double or triple the amount of garlic!
LollyChops: If a recipe calls for vanilla – do you let the vanilla spill over the measuring spoon a little or a lot (or do you just double it like I do)?
Leigh Anne: Like you - I double it. The more vanilla the better!
LollyChops: Have you ever started a vegetable garden. If the answer is yes - what did you grown in your last one. If no, what would you grow in one if you started it.
Leigh Anne: We have a garden every year. Lots of tomatoes, cherry, roma, Early Girl (I live in Oregon, need tomatoes with a short growing life since our our amount of sunshine can vary!), beans, peas, lettuce, peppers, carrots and lots of pumpkins (We don't eat them, we decorate with them at Halloween)!
LollyChops: How do you like your coffee..heck.. do you even drink coffee?
Leigh Anne: Not a coffee drinker! Love an almond steamed milk though! LollyChops: Woah... that sounds tasty!
LollyChops: Gas or electric?
Leigh Anne: Gas!
LollyChops: Clean as you cook or Hurricane Leigh Anne with FEMA disaster recovery?
Leigh Anne: Definitely a hurricane! My dream is to have a full time dishwasher who just stands at the sink and cleans as I cook!!
LollyChops: Apron, hand towels, legs or nearest child or pet? Leigh Anne: I am an apron wearer. I have lots! Friends have joked I have one to match every outfit!
Let's get going with this luscious lemon cheese cake car recipe shall we?!
I love lemons!
I love everything about lemons!
I love the taste of lemons, the smell of lemons, the color and shape of lemons!
If you are going to work with lemons there are two tools you are going to need.
LollyChops Note: Do you guys think Leigh Anne likes lemons??? I cannot be sure - but I think she might just a teeny little bit.
First - the microplaner. I love this tool. It is a long, small grater type tool. You use it to “zest” a lemon which basically means grating the lemon rind. Fresh lemon zest adds great flavor to recipes.
Second - you will need a lemon juicer. I use this handy little hand juicer - it quickly and easily squeezes all the juice out of the lemon.
You are going to want to use fresh lemon juice, not that fake stuff that comes in the green bottle at the grocery store for the recipe I will share with you so get juicing!
One of my favorite lemon recipes is lemon bars. Today's recipe is a version of lemon bars has a wonderful layer of cream cheese that makes this lemon bar recipe extra special! It is creamier and yummier than a regular lemon bar.
Lemon Cheesecake Bars
(You will need 3-4 lemons for this recipe)
Crust:
3/4 cup butter, chilled
2 cups flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
Cheesecake:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp. milk
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Lemon Layer:
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup flour
Crust: Preheat oven to 325. Cut butter into pieces. In a food processor (or blender on low, pulse setting) Process all ingredients until mixture becomes tiny and fine pieces. Sprinkle mixture into a 9 x 13 baking pan and press evenly into bottom of pan. Bake for 12 minutes and remove from oven.
Cheesecake: In medium bowl, blend cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and mix well. Cream together the rest of the ingredients until smooth. Pour cheesecake evenly over hot crust. Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 300. (Step Four, Five and Six Photos)
Lemon layer: In a bowl whisk together eggs and sugar until combined well. Stir in lemon juice and flour. Gently pour over semi-baked cheesecake. If some of the cheesecake lifts up and mixes in with the lemon layer - don't worry! It will still be wonderful!
Bake at 300 for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle powdered sugar over top if desired.
Cool for an hour and then refrigerate. Can be served warm but better after it has chilled. I let it sit out of the fridge 20-30 minutes before I serve it. For families, it will probably be eaten as soon as they are out of the fridge.
Makes 24 bars.
Thanks so much for being my guest Leigh Anne! You so inspired me with the lemon mentions that I decided to change up the recipe card this week (and it might be something I start doing regularly now). We have to keep things exciting around here right?!?!
Lemon Cheesecake Bars
Bunny HUGS!
