Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

I’m sure this will come as no shock to you, but I’m not a HUGE fan of the baking. Was it the gross lack of tasty treat recipes on the recipe page that gave me away?

The truth is I’d rather suck on a salt lick then a sweet sucker.

Well, that and the fact that I don’t enjoy the hurry up and wait that is involved with baking. Or the fat that attaches to my ass after I eat whatever comes out of the oven.

But, what would a bridal shower have been without sweets?

Poopy. That’s what.

So Maggie and I teamed up to get our bake on for Lish’s bridal shower a couple of weeks ago. These bars can best be described as what would occur if a blueberry muffin and a piece of cheesecake did the dirty and nine months later popped out a happy accident.

I guess in this case it would be forty minutes, not nine months. But you are a smart cookie and you get the picture.

Regardless of the gestation period, these happy accidents are delicious and BEAUTIFUL. Talk about a crowd pleaser.

You will need…

For the crust:

2 cups flour

1 cup butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

For the filling:

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

1/4 cup orange juice

1 (8-ounce) cream cheese at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon flour

2 eggs

2 teaspoons orange zest

1 teaspoon vanilla

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Then combine the sugar, cornstarch, orange juice and blueberries in a small saucepan.

Cook the mixture over medium heat until it has thickened and has begun bubbling. Remove it from the heat and set it aside.

In a medium bowl or in your stand mixer, combine the flour, powdered sugar and butter in a mixer and mix it until the ingredients come together. Don’t worry, it is supposed to be crumbly.

Press the butter, sugar and flour mixture into a foil lined 9x13 baking pan. Bake the crust for 20 minutes.

While the crust is baking, cream together the cream cheese and sugar. Then add in the flower. Finally, add the eggs, vanilla and orange zest to the mix and combine until the mixture is relatively smooth.

Pour the cheese mixture over the freshly baked (not cooled) crust.

Spoon the thickened blueberries over the top of the cheese filling.

Using a knife, swirl the blueberries throughout the cheese filling to make a swirl effect.

Pop that bad boy back in the oven for 20 more minutes (still at 350).

When they come out of the oven, let them cool for at least an hour in the pan. After an hour you can either put them in the fridge for another hour or let them cool over night.

Cut them into cute little squares and serve.

I only got one bite of one and I was PISSED. Don’t let that be you. Your ass might not thank you, but your taste buds will.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela