Cheesecake Bars and a Lighthouse

I was so excited to attend my first meeting for the Friends of the Tawas Point Lighthouse and State Park today. One of the things I had planned on doing when we moved to East Tawas full time was join some community groups. Two years ago I started following their Facebook page and really liked what they were all about. So my husband and I sent in our membership form and joined the group. We’ve helped with a couple of events when we happened to be in the area but I wasn’t planning on joining any committees until I moved up here in June. But then one innocent suggestion led to an invite to the planning committee. So here I am about to attend my first meeting and as nervous as a kid on their first day of school. Should I sit back quietly and just observe or jump right in as I usually do?  These people have known each other for years, maybe even grew up together.  I didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes or come across as too eager.

So I decided that the best thing to do was bring a treat. How can you go wrong if you show up with goodies?  I came up the night before the meeting specifically so I could bake these cheesecake bars and let them cool overnight in the fridge as the recipe calls for before the meeting this afternoon.  All of this turned out to be for nothing though as freezing rain and bad road conditions led to a virtual meeting on Google Suite. This was the first time the group has done a virtual meeting and I have to admit I laughed more than once watching everyone try to figure out what they were doing.  But we got through it and I felt totally comfortable with this group. But now I have a whole pan of cheesecake bars sitting in my fridge! I’m going to have to go to karaoke tonight so I can share with my bar buddies! You can impress your friends too with this easy recipe. Whether you make them sing or not is up to you!!

Ingredients

2 packages Pillsbury Crescent rolls (either original or butter)

2 8oz blocks of cream cheese (room temp)

1/3 cup melted butter

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 cup white sugar

1 cup cinnamon sugar mixture

Directions

1- Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2- Spray a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray and set aside

3- Use an electric mixer to combine the cream cheese, white sugar and vanilla.

4- Lay one package of the rolls in a single layer on the bottom of the pan, pinch the seams together as necessary. Try to make this layer as even as possible. You may even have to trim off a little in the corners if it is bunching up.

5- Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the first layer of rolls.

6- On a clean surface spread the 2nd package of rolls out and pinch the seams together. You want to make this layer as close in size to the first layer you did.  Once it is sealed and the right size carefully lift it off the surface and place it over the top of the cream cheese layer. If someone is around to help with this step it makes it a little easier.  Gently make any necessary adjustments. Again you may need to trim off any extra in the corners. You want to make it as even as possible making sure all of the cream cheese is covered.

7- Pour the melted butter over the top layer of rolls making sure it is evenly coated.

8- Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the top evenly.

9- Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely and then leave covered in the refrigerator overnight.  Gently cut into squares when ready to serve.