Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars

Last Thursday, we had the final luncheon for our ladies Bible study that has been meeting this fall. I brought a dessert- Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars. They were delicious! So, as part of my 30 Things, here is my new recipe for December:

Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® oatmeal cookie mix
1/2 cup firm butter or margarine
2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 can (21 oz) apple pie filling
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.
2. Place cookie mix in large bowl. With pastry blender or fork, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly and coarse. Reserve 1 1/2 cups crumb mixture; press remaining crumbs in bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, vanilla and egg with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
4. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over partially baked crust. In medium bowl, mix pie filling and cinnamon. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle reserved crumbs over top. Sprinkle with walnuts.
5. Bake 35 to 40 minutes longer or until light golden brown. Cool about 30 minutes. Refrigerate to chill, about 2 hours. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

Not only did they taste good, but they really were not that difficult to make! I will definitely be repeating this recipe in the future!

Picture and recipe from Bettycrocker.com

Thirty Things

NaBloPoMo Day 29
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today is my birthday and I am now 29 years old. It is kind of odd, because I really don't feel like I am 29. One year away from 30.

It has been a pretty relaxing day so far. I messed around on the internet this morning. We came over to Brook and Geoff's around midmorning to watch the Tigers play KU...not so pretty. I got to work on some digital scrapbooking for a while...I still have a lot to learn, but I think I am really going to like it!

This evening, we are going to my parent's house for my birthday dinner: Mom's lasagna and chocolate delight~yum! Don and Nancy and Brook and Geoff and the boys are coming, too.

I got a birthday email today that said, "Don't just count your years, make your years count!" As I thought about my birthday, I decided to pick 30 things that I want to do by the time I am 30. So, here it goes, in no particular order:

• Take at least one cooking class
• Start a scrapbook for Austin
  
• Keep up with Austin's scrapbook
  
• Get into a workout routine after I have Austin
• Get back to pre-pregnancy size/weight
  
• Start my pregnancy scrapbook
• Finish my pregnancy scrapbook
• Shave $50/mo off our grocery budget- right now $200/mo
• Establish an organized routine for cleaning at home
• Keep the house clean for a month straight
  
• Establish a routine for quiet time
• Take a photography class
• Get at least 4 massages
• Put pictures up in hallway
• Try a new dish every month
• Go on a weekend getaway with Andrew after the baby comes
  
• Stay at a bed and breakfast
• Start serious research about homeschooling
• Establish a date night with Andrew at least once a month- just the two of us
• Volunteer for a charitable event
  
• Keep my car cleaned out for a month straight
• Establish a family devotional time each week
• Organize my desk and keep it that way for a month
• Create a will
• Pay off at least one big bill
• Become proficient in using Gimp
• Memorize 25 Bible verses
• Read 25 books
• Organize and thin out the recipes I want to try
• Be better about sending out cards

I will keep you updated as I accomplish these things. It will be interesting to see how many I get accomplished!