Almond Cheesecake Bars

Almond cheesecake bars, YUM!  Sinfully good, and so simple.  This recipe makes 3 dozen melt in your mouth bites!

CRUST:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

FILLING:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 eggs, lightly beaten

FROSTING:

1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon almond extract

4 to 5 teaspoons milk

Directions

Combine the flour, butter and confectioners' sugar; press onto the bottom of a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

For filling, in a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and extract until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour over crust. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until center is almost set.

Cool on a wire rack.  Combine the frosting ingredients until smooth; spread over bars. Store in the refrigerator.

Easter Treats - Birds' Nests

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, for greasing the muffin pan or mini muffin pan
(or you can free-form your nests on parchment paper)

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

6 ounces  butterscotch chips

1 cup creamy peanut butter

6 ounces chow mein noodles

36 mini Cadbury eggs

These are quick, easy, bits of Easter Fun!  Took me no time at all today to create these cut little treats.

Banana Pudding Cake

I have been scanning some of my recipes to determine what to make for Easter.  Here is an easy recipe I came across for a refreshing banana pudding cake.

Ingredients:

1 (10 oz.) box yellow cake mix (prepared according to directions for a 9x13 cake, baked)

2 (3.4 oz.) packages instant banana pudding

4 cups milk

1 (8 oz.) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed

20 vanilla wafers, crushed

Directions:

Once cake comes out of the oven, allow it to cool for just a couple of minutes.

Then, with a wooden spoon handle, poke holes in the cake.

Be sure to poke down to the bottom of the cake.

In a bowl,whisk together instant pudding with 4 cups milk, and stir until there are no lumps.

Let the pudding sit for just about 2 minutes, so it has just slightly begun to thicken.

Pour pudding over cake. Taking care to get it into the holes as much as possible.

Place cake in fridge.  Once your cake has completely cooled, frost with whipped

Topping and crushed vanilla wafers.

Serve with freshly sliced bananas.

Keep refrigerated.

Apple Coffee Cake

Coffee Cake

We had a snow storm this week.  I next during winter storms and blizzards - nothing better than the smell of freshly baked cookies and cake on a stormy winter evening after driving home through the snow.  This cake is a great treat for breakfast or after supper with a scoop of ice cream.  Enjoy!

1/4 cup shortening
1 cups sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoons vanilla
1 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups peeled diced tart apples

Instead of an apple, you can use chopped pears or peaches (canned or fresh).