Strawberry White Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

I finally caved in and bought a new bike. I'd been riding around on the Quiet Man's bike. He's a good 7 inches taller than I am so I was straining to reach the handlebars and the pedals. Plus his seat would flip up in the middle of a ride...um, try not to think about it, but know that it wasn't comfortable. Why do men's bicycle seats have to have such an um, uncomfortable shape anyway? Yowch. Yet another reason to be glad I'm a girl. Being a girl, and a very sensible one at that, I went to Wal-mart and bought the prettiest bike I could find. Isn't she loverly? I'm calling her Betty. My new bike makes me so happy, and the seat is plump and comfy and not once has it flipped up. I bought a little basket for the front, so the charges and I are going to ride all over town and run our errands until it get's too hot that we can't bear it anymore. That might be tomorrow. The weather man is saying 96 degrees. Ooh wee. Maybe I should stay home and ride Betty around the living room. Or maybe I should just stay in and bake. I did have an assigment for Tuesdays with Dorie this week-white chocolate brownies. They didn't sound too grand to me, so I decided to make something that sounded better with white chocolate: Strawberry White Chocolate Cheesecake Bars. I made a brown sugar-cookie base, topped with a white chocolate cheesecake layer and a slick of my own homemade strawberry freezer jam. They are divine. You will swoon. Make some soon. In the month of June. I will go before I get carried away. A new bike, a sweet treat, and the month of June can do that to a girl.

Strawberry White Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

Estimated Cost: $4.50 for 12 servings

1 cup flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

pinch of salt

3 tablespoons butter

1 package cream cheese, softened (8 ounces)

1/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 ounces melted white chocolate

1/2 cup strawberry jam

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture has coarse crumbs. Press mixture into bottom of 8 inch square baking pan. Bake for five minutes. Meanwhile, combine cream cheese and sugar until velvety smooth. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Gently mix in white chocolate. Bake for 20 minutes, or until edges are set and center jiggles slightly when you tap the pan. Let cool for 15 minutes. Pour jam over the top and smooth gently. Let cool completely in refrigerator for at least two hours. Slice into squares and serve.

Sailor made her own little itty bitty version. So cute.

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