It’s the third Thursday of the month.
What does that mean?
It’s the Improv Challenge time!!
As a participant, you have to make something that will include two assigned ingredients.
This month the two ingredients were: peanut butter and jelly.
A perfect pair for a baker, if you ask me.
As of recently I am on a bars roll, I went with cheesecake bars for the challenge.
They are delicious and will satisfy any pb&j lover. Yum!
Peanut Butter and Jelly Cheesecake Bars
makes 16
for the crust:
1/2 c butter, softened
1/3 c powdered sugar
1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c oatmeal
1/4 c Cheerios, crushed
Grease a 8″ x 8″ square baking dish. Set aside.
Beat the butter for 2 minutes.
The butter has to be really soft. It whips better.
Add the sugar and beat until fluffy.
Add the flour and mix it all with a spatula or a wooden spoon.
Add the cereal and oatmeal and mix it all until combined.
Press the dough into your prepared pan.
It will be sticky so be patient.
Note: I highly recommend using parchment paper or a aluminum foil to line the pan with. It will make it easier to get the baked bars out onto a platter. I will certainly do that next time. 🙂
Bake for 18 – 20 minutes, until the edges start to brown.
Leave the oven on the same temperature.
for the filling:
1 8oz. cream cheese, softened
1 egg, room temperature
1/3 c peanut butter
1/4 c granulated sugar
2 Tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp jelly ( I used my homemade cranberry jam )
Beat the cream cheese until creamy.
Reserve about a 1/2 c of soft, whipped cream cheese.
Mix it will 3 Tbsp of jelly. Set aside.
To the rest of the cream cheese, add the peanut butter and beat until combined.
Add the sugar and beat until fluffy.
Like this. 🙂 Yum!
Now go, give your Hubby a spoonful to taste.
He will love you for it.
Trust me. 🙂
Add the egg and mix well.
Add the vanilla and milk and mix again.
Add the flour and stir with a spatula or a wooden spoon.
Spread the cheesecake filling over the crust.
Spoon out the jelly cream cheese mixture and swirl with a spoon.
Bake 18 – 20 minutes. It will appear set and start to come off on the sides.
Cool for 30 minutes on the counter and then transfer to a fridge and cool about 2 hours.
Voila! PB and J cheesecake bars to enjoy. 🙂
You can warm up a little bit of jelly in a small bowl in a microwave and drizzle if over the bars before serving.
If you are interested in participating and joining the Improv Challenge group, contact Kristen from Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker.
I hope you do, because it’s always lots of fun!
Enjoy!
The winner of the Dessert Decorator Pro was announced yesterday.
