Summer Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Serves 8-10
Total cost - $7.50 (approx. $.75-$.95/person)

Crust:
1 cup ginger snaps, ground
3 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. sugar

Batter:
2 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice, strained

Blueberry Sauce - recipe follows

Preheat oven to 325

Line a 8 inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, with the ends of the foil hanging over the sides of the pan.

Mix crust ingredients and press into the bottom of the foil lined pan.

Bake 10 minutes.

Beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Once well blended mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice and sour cream. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each egg just until blended.

Pour the batter over the crust.

Bake 40 minutes or until the center is almost set.

Cool completely on a wire rack, then refrigerate the cheesecake in the pan for 4 hours.

Use the overhanging foil to lift the cheesecake out of the pan before cutting to serve.

Any leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator.


Blueberry Sauce:
1 cup blueberries, divided
1 Tbsp. vanilla sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
juice of one lemon, strained
2-3 Tbsp. water

Combine 1/2 the blueberries and the rest of the ingredients in a small sauce pan. Heat over medium flame. The blueberries will begin releasing some of their juice and once the sauce begins to thicken remove the pan from the heat.

Stir the remaining blueberries into the pan.

The sauce can either be used immediately or stored in the refrigerator for later use.