Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

Lemons and blueberries are in season.  Just bought a huge box of fresh blueberries and I want to use them up before they turn bad.  Besides blueberry muffins and blueberry mousse cake, another way to enjoy these antioxidant loaded berries are with cheesecake bars.  I made a little section with no blueberries since hubby is not a big fan of this fruit :p

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
adapted from food network
(16 servings ~ 126 calories each)

Ingredients:
For the base:

Cooking spray, for greasing

2 tablespoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

9 reduced fat graham crackers

1/2 stick margarine, melted

For the filling:
16 ounces fat free cream cheese, room temperature

2 eggs

2 lemons, zested and juiced

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup fresh blueberries

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

For the base:

1. Spray the bottom of a 9 by 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Then place parchment paper over the top, pressing down at the corners.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. In a food processor, process the sugar, cinnamon and graham crackers until you have the texture of bread crumbs. Add the melted margarine and pulse a couple of times to fully incorporate. Pour into the lined baking pan and gently pat down with the base of a glass.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes until golden. When done set aside to cool.

 

For the filling:

1. Add cream cheese, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice and sugar to the food processor and mix until well combined. It should have a smooth consistency. Pour onto the cooled base and then cover with blueberries. They will sink slightly but should still be half exposed -- as the cake bakes they will sink a little more and break down.

 

 

2. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until the center only slightly jiggles. Remove from the oven and cool completely before refrigerating for at least 3 hours. Once set, remove from pan using the parchment lining and slice into 16 square bars.

 

 

Hello Kitty Cupcake and Cake Pops

Besides Disney characters, I think most of us are also familiar with Sanrio characters.  The best well known character of course is Hello Kitty.  I'm actually more of a dog person, but Hello Kitty is also cute.  I came across a Hello Kitty cake pops baking kit in Cost Plus the other day, and I haven't tried making cake pops yet.  Might as well grab me one kit and learn how to make them at home!  This baking kit is pretty awesome, it includes pretty much everything I needed.  I stole the idea from cake pops and made some cupcakes as well :)

Hello Kitty Cupcakes:
(12 mini cupcakes ~ 84 calories, 18 regular cupcakes ~ 167 calories)

Ingredients:
For cupcakes
1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist French Vanilla cake mix
4 egg whites
1 cup water
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup light sour cream

For frosting
5 tbsp unsalted butter
3 1/2 cup Confectioner's sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
few drops of red food coloring
black icing
yellow candy
red icing

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 F, line cupcake liners in muffin tin, set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, mix cake mix, water, applesauce, sour cream, and egg whites in low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to medium speed for 2 minutes.
3.Divide batter into muffin pan. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until toothpick comes out clean when tested. Let cool completely before frosting.










4. Prepare buttercream frosting, in a large mixing bowl, mix in Confectioner's sugar, butter, vanilla extract and milk, using an electric mixer, mix on medium to high speed until you reach the consistency for pipping. Mix a few drops of red food color for pink frosting in a separate bowl.

5. Microwave the pink frosting for 10 second until frosting is runny.  Dip each cupcake into the melted frosting, drip off excess and let it cool on the side.

6. Decorate Hello Kitty's face with white frosting, black icing, red icing, and yellow candy for the nose.

Hello Kitty Cake Pops
20 servings ~ <150 calories each (I did not use up all the white chocolate)
Ingredients and Directions are included in the box!