Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

These taste so summery!

What You'll Need: 

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 3/4 cup sugar, divided
2/3 cup cold butter, cut up
2 8 oz pkgs cream cheese, soft
2 eggs
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup blueberry jam
2 cups blueberries

How to Make It: 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 pan. In a bowl, combine the flour and the sugar. Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Press the flour mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake the crust until the edges are slightly browned, about 12-15 minutes. Let the crust cool in the pan on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese and sugar in a bowl until smooth. Add the eggs, lemon zest and juice, beating until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Spread the blueberry jam evenly over the crust. Sprinkle the blueberries over the jam layer. Drop the cream cheese mixture, a spoonful at a time, over the berries, then carefully spread it out evenly. Return the pan to the oven and bake just until set, 25-30 minutes. Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars and serve.

Creamy Tomato Pasta Bake

I think this is what some people would call a "weeknight dinner." It's easy and pretty cheap, and doesn't take long to prepare. It tasted good, too- much better than just plan pasta and marinara! This is adapted from a recipe I found on pinterest. 

What You'll Need: 

1 16 oz box tubular pasta (I used maltagliati)
1 jar marinara (I used a roasted garlic and onion flavor- I like chunky sauce!)
1 jar alfredo
2 cups shredded mozzarella
Grated parmesan
1 packet Italian dressing mix, optional

How to Make It: 

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees (I set mine to 425 degrees because I heated up frozen garlic breadsticks to serve with the meal. You can always adjust the cooking time if you'd like to do something similar.) In a large bowl, combine the two sauces and 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella. Shake in some of the grated parmesan and the dressing mix, if you're using it, and stir to combine completely. When the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it to the sauce mixture. Stir to coat all the noodles, and pour everything into a 9x13 pan. Top the pasta with the remaining shredded cheese, and some extra parmesan if you'd like. Throw it in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the whole dish is heated through.

Chocolate Ganache Frosting

This ganache is for spreading, not for pouring. I am putting it on cupcakes. It is pretty delicious. I am tempted to make a bowl just to eat by myself. : )

What You'll Need: 

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
5 1/2 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sugar
Pinch of salt


How to Make It: 

Put the chocolate and the butter in a medium bowl, and set aside. Combine the cream, the sugar, and the salt in a saucepan and bring to a simmer (just before it starts to boil- but don't scald it!) Let the cream mixture simmer for 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and the butter in the bowl. Whisk everything together until the chocolate and butter are melted, and the ganache is silky smooth. Let it sit on the counter (without stirring) for 2-3 hours, or refrigerate for about 45 minutes. If you refrigerate it, bring the ganache to room temperature before stirring it and spreading it on cake, cupcakes, you name it.