Lemon Cheesecake

I made this for our 4th of July BBQ...I love lemonade on a hot summer day, so when I came across this recipe for lemon cheesecake, I wanted to try it. It was sooooo yummy, you have to try it! I used 1/3 less fat cream cheese and it was still rich and yummy!

2 cups crushed Graham cracker crumbs
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
6 Tbsp. melted butter
4 pkg. (8oz. each) Cream cheese, softened (I used 1/3 less fat)
1 cup Sour Cream (I used light)
Zest and juice from 1 lemon
4 eggs

Heat oven to 325.
Mix crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar and butter. Reserve 1/4 cup crumb mixture. press remaining onto bottom of 13x9 pan.

Beat cream cheese and remaining sugar in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add sour cream, zest and juice; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low after each just until blended. Pour over crust; top with reserved crumb mixture.

Bake 40 mins or until center is almost set. Cool completely and then refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

**NOTE: because it takes awhile to cool, and you want the cheesecake to be chilled in the fridge, this is a great "make the night before" recipe.

Recipe from: Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese

Rhubarb Apple Crisp

My neighbor brought me a HUGE bag of Rhubard and I had NO idea what to do with it. I happened to stumble across this recipe on my friend April's blog. I tried it and LOVED it...so I am sharing it with you...and I need to make sure I don't loose this recipe so I am keeping it here!! LOL!

1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup melted butter
1 tsp cinnamon
3 cups sliced rhubarb
1 peeled and cubed apple (we like fuji or gala)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tbs cornstarch
1 cup water
1 tsp vanilla

In a bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, oats, butter and cinnamon. Mix together until crumbly. Press 1/3 of it into a 8 x 8 baking dish. Top with sliced rhubarb and apple.

In a saucepan, combine granulated sugar, cornstarch, water and vanilla. Cook until thick and clear. Pour over apples and rhubarb. Top with remaining crumb mixture and bake at 350 for 50 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped topping. Enjoy

NOTE**one thing I did differently on this recipe is after I took the sugar/cornstarch mixture off the stove, I mixed the rhubard and apples into the sauce and then I spooned it over the crust, I didn't use all of the sauce, that way the sauce didn't bubble up over the top crisp..I LOVE my crisp to be extra crispy ;O)