Banana Split Cheesecake Bars

Mom reminded me that I haven't said anything about my favorite present, but that is because I forgot that it was a present because I got it before Christmas, because it was of more use to me in my hand than under the tree. I got a new camera. I love it, its blue and pretty and takes some pretty awesome pictures. I don't take many pictures of food because I can be pretty messy sometimes and I don't want to ruin such an awesome camera.

Holly KittenPants (HKP) annoyed at me 

Most recent shot of me

HKP interested in the new camera

Everybody makes mistakes, this is a short tale of one of mine, 

I get bored really easily sometimes. Today, was one of those days. I decided to make something. I had been planning to make these about a week ago, but I was told I wasn't allowed to make things for a little while because we had too many leftovers from Christmas to eat. Our refrigerator is pretty full still, but not with the same leftovers from last week. This recipe calls for a 9x 13 inch pan, but I didn't have room for a pan that size in the refrigerator, so I made it in a smaller pan. Which ended up being a bad idea. The smaller pan made the crust bigger so it didn't cook in 20 minutes. I let it cook until the center was mostly done. I then had trouble making the cheesecake part because the food processor we own is not big enough to hold all the ingredients for the cheesecake layer. When I finally got it all mixed together and put on-top of the brownie, or so I thought it was on top of the brownie. The crust wasn't as done as I thought it was and the cheesecake layer mixed in with brownie layer in the center. I went ahead and put it in the oven to cook and see what happens. I took it out when the center no longer jiggled just like the directions said. I let it cool, didn't put the top on, cause I'm a lazy baker sometimes, (plus I didn't have any of the ingredients). When I cut into it was still a little warm in the center, and because the size of the pan was smaller than what the directions called for, the cheesecake bar was deeper that what it normally would be. Somehow everywhere but the center got done, if not overly done. I mean it was like pudding, really soupy, the kind of undone the makes you worry if it is safe to eat. I tired the outer edges and found that it was pretty good and next time I should probably take the directions advice and use a 9x 13 inch pan. I got this recipe out the Denver Post.

Ingredients

For the Brownie Crust

12 oz semisweet chocolate

¾ cup butter

2/3 cup sugar

¼ cup all purpose flour

¼ tsp salt

4 eggs

For the cheesecake layer

2 8 oz packages of cream cheese

3 ripe bananas

½ cup sugar

2 tbsp all purpose flour

3 eggs

For the Topping

1 quart strawberries, hulled and sliced

¼ cup pineapple jam

1 tbsp water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees. Coat a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate and the butter on high for 1-2 minutes stirring every 20 seconds, or until melted. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour and salt. Add the eggs and vanilla, and whisk until smooth. Stir in the chocolate-butter mixture. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven. If there are any bubbles in the crust, gently push them flat. Leave the oven on.

To make the cheesecake layer, in a food processor, combine the cream cheese, bananas, sugar, flour and salt. Process until completely smooth, scrapping down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, processing and scrapping the bowl between additions. Pour the batter over the brownie crust, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the center no longer jiggles. Cool, then refrigerate until completely chilled.

When the cheesecake is completely chilled, arrange the sliced strawberries over the top. In a small microwave safe bowl, mix the pineapple jam and the water. Microwave until bubbling. Spoon the jam over the strawberries. Allow to chill for 15 minutes for the jam to set up. Cut into squares. Store, well wrapped, in the refrigerator.