Lemon Cheesecake Bars

These creamy bars combine two of my favorite things - tangy lemon and cheesecake.  They are really easy to make but taste like they required hard work.  I have to refrain from making these every week.  I'd like to but my hips wouldn't appreciate it!!

Photo by me.

Lemon Cheesecake Bars
(recipe from allrecipes.com)

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, cubed

*Whisk flour and sugar together.  Cut in butter.  Press into a 9x13 pan that has been greased.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes.

• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/2 cup lemon juice

*Whisk together.  Pour over baked crust.  Skim off bubbles.

• 2 (8oz) packages cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten

*Mix cream cheese and sugar.  Whisk in eggs.  Spread over lemon mixture.
*Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes until filling is set.  The lemon layers will separate as it bakes.

I make half the recipe in an 8x8 inch pan.  I also use light cream cheese.

Enjoy!
-C :)

Toffee Pretzel Bark

Each year at Christmas time, I always have lofty aspirations that I will make all sorts of delicacies that involve plenty of time and talent.  As Christmas draws closer and closer those aspirations start to disappear and reality sets in...  Which means in the back of my mind I am always searching for one ridiculously simple and easy recipe.  This year it is Toffee Pretzel Bark.

A ridiculously easy recipe combining dark chocolate, salty pretzels, crunchy, buttery toffee bits and a bit of white chocolate to round it out.  It seriously takes 10 minutes of "busy" time mixed in with a few trips to the fridge to cool.

Doesn't that look great?  When I took it to work the nurses kept making trips the the staff room just to grab another bite!

Here's the recipe:

Toffee Pretzel Bark

• 12 ounces dark chocolate chips
• 2 cups broken pretzel pieces
• 1 1/2 cups Skor toffee pieces, divided
• 6 ounces white chocolate chips

*Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.
*In a double boiler (or a metal mixing bowl placed over a pot of boiling water), melt the dark chocolate chips, stirring until the chocolate is melted and no chips remain. (You can also melt the chocolate in the microwave, stirring it at 30 second intervals.)
*Remove from the heat, add the pretzels and 1 cup of the toffee pieces, and stir to combine.
*Spread the chocolate mixture out on the prepared baking sheet, and transfer to the fridge for about 30 minutes.
*While the mixture hardens in the fridge, melt the white chocolate chips.
*Remove the baking sheet from the fridge, and spread the white chocolate in a thin layer over the top.  The white chocolate and dark chocolate will swirl together a little.
*Sprinkle with the remaining toffee pieces, and return to the fridge for about 30 minutes.
*Once the chocolate has hardened break into pieces, using a knife if necessary. I just used the tip of my knife to break bite sized pieces off.  Or you can roughly cut it if you prefer a more consistent look. Store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!
-Carla :)