Oatmeal, Cheesecake, Apples... Oh My!

One of my favorite things about living in Wisconsin is the changing of the four seasons. Each season is so distinctive here, pleasing all of our senses. From the sights of the Fall colors, the touch of bright white snowflakes, the smells of fresh Spring air, the addictive feeling of the hot Summer sun, and back to the tastes of Fall! The beginning of each season motivates me into trying new recipes. My excitement of the Farmers Market is over, so my energy is now focused on everything apple, cinnamon, pumpkin, and caramel.

Fall is my FAVORITE season! As I type I am sipping on mint hot chocolate, thinking of an upcoming hayride, deciding how many pumpkins to get, and smelling the sweet aroma of Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars. The recipe came from my trusty source, Betty Crocker. It's such a quick and easy recipe... which leads me to this. When I say 'quick and easy,' there is always going to be a little work involved. It's really up to you how 'quick and easy' it is. It's important to always be prepared and be efficient. Before you even start, get out all of the ingredients, in their respective measurements, and set them out on the counter. With everything measured and at your figure tips, it's easy to make a masterpiece in no time. Scrambling for dishes, hunting for ingredients, and not reading the recipe all the way through first makes for frustrating and time consuming assembly. Too many discouraging kitchen experiences can lead a person to never try a new recipe again!

So, with that, I encourage you to flip through a cookbook or magazine you already have or look online for something new and exciting. All of us have our niche. I prefer to make desserts. One of my sisters prefers to make hearty foods (I call her Paula Dean), the other is good at getting creative with the fancy stuff. You know what you like to eat... find a recipe you think you'll like and surprise yourself.

Here is a slice of the cheesecake bars, they are still warm!

If you want to give them a try, here's the recipe:

Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars (by: Betty Crocker)

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) oatmeal cookie mix
1/2 cup firm margarine
2 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp. flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 can apple pie filling
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 350 F. Spray 9x13 pan.

Place cookie mix in large bowl. With a fork, cut in margarine until mixture is crumbly. Leave out 1 1/2 cups mixture. Put remaining crumbs in pan, bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, vanilla, and egg with an electric mixer. Spread this mixture evenly over partially baked crust. In a separate bowl, mix pie filling and cinnamon. Spoon over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle reserved crumbs over top.

Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Enjoy!

NOTE: It would have been rude if I put the piece back that I cut out for the picture, so naturally I had to eat it. It was delicious!! This recipe is a keeper! YUM!!