I'm alive! After yet another month of inactivity...I am broadcasting to you live from the new apartment. I managed to get all my kitchen goodies into the smaller space and I added a snazzy kitchen cart named Charlie to the gang. He and Gladys are besties now. Anywho, since I've been doing nothing but moving, assembling furniture, driving to IKEA, and repairing holes we put in the drywall, I have a stack of recipes that I've been flagging but haven't had the chance to make. I picked one this afternoon to test out: Blueberry Oat Bars. I have renamed them Blueberry Cheesecake Bars because it seems much more fitting.
I got the recipe from the May/June issue of Taste of the South.
1 1/4 c flour (plus 2 T later)1 c quick cooking oats
1 2/3 c sugar (divided)
3/4 t baking powder
2/3 c salted butter, melted
2 (8 oz) boxes cream cheese
4 large eggs
1 T fresh lemon juice
1/2 t vanilla
2 c fresh blueberries
Preheat oven to 375 and grease 13x9 baking dish
Mix together 1 1/4 c flour, 2/3 c sugar, baking powder, and melted butter. Press out the mixture into the bottom of the dish. Bake about 15 minutes until the crust begins to brown around the edges. Let cool for 30 minutes. Side note, we don't have a microwave in this place, so I melted butter in the preheating oven. This took FOREVER. But it worked :) Reduce oven heat to 325
Beat cream cheese with electric mixer until creamy, add remaining cup of sugar, 2 T flour until blended. Add eggs one at a time until blended, add lemon juice and vanilla. I looked at the recipe wrong before I went shopping and only bought one box of cream cheese. Luckily I had also bought a tub of whipped cream cheese for bagels so I had enough.
Spread blueberries over the cool crust, pour cream cheese mixture over berries. Bake 40 minutes or until knife comes out clean and center feels firm. Let cool for 2 hours, cover, and chill in fridge for 3 hours. I have no patience. Mine cooled maybe an hour before going in the fridge. I cut them after the were chilling for about 2 hours ish and yes I can see how they'd be even better totally cold and firm but they were darn tasty still a touch warm. 
I always tend to make really rich chocolate desserts so this was a good alternative, especially when it's so hot outside. (Although I won't complain, my poor biggy is in 120 degree heat!!!) Totally a make again recipe...it would be great for pot lucks too because you could make it the night before and it would be ready to go in the morning. 
