When the Creative Juices Flow, I Have to Go with It

Day 84.

My in-laws are arriving from out of state tomorrow for a visit. They're staying at my home. I should be running around, vacuuming, fluffing pillows, laying out towels and wash cloths and otherwise getting things in order for their visit.

But I invented a recipe instead. I couldn't help it. The ideas just kept popping into my brain and demanded to come out my fingertips into a yummy treat.

So, while my towels remain unfolded, and the pillows remain unfluffed, and the carpets remain in need of a vacuuming, I find myself drawn to the kitchen. Aren't you glad?

Apple Cheesecake Bars
(name subject to change. I can't decide what to call these things.)

What You Need:

for the pie crust:

• 1 stick butter
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• dash of salt
• 2 Tbsp ice water

for the apple filling:

• 3 cups peeled, cored, and diced apples
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 2 Tbsp water
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp butter

for the cheesecake layer:

• 8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

for the topping:

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup chilled butter

How it's Done:

1. For the crust: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In the bowl of your food processor, combine a cut up stick of butter and 1 1/2 cups of flour. Pulse 15 times. Add the ice water and pulse 5 more times. Pour into an 8x8" square baking dish. Press in the bottom and an inch up the sidess. Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce heat to 350 degrees.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the apple filling. In a saucepan, combine all apple pie filling ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat until softened. It should take the 15 minutes that the pie crust takes to bake. Remove from heat and pour into pie crust.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine cheesecake ingredients. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Spoon over apple filling.
4. Combine topping ingredients using a food processor or pastry blender. Sprinkle evenly over top of cheesecake layer.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes, until top is lightly browned.

(Apologies for subpar photography. My daylight is gone.)