I found this awesome recipe on Tastespotting (Oh what a surprise), but had some extra ingredients around the fridge and thought I would do some tweaking.

It …….So………worked ……out!!

Let me tell you this was pretty easy and ever so delicious. I just wish you could smell this from your computer.

The egg whites and the sweetened condensed milk make the squares like silk. It is a lighter cheese cake if there is such a thing, and the confectioners sugar makes the crust a light and soft crust. A perfect compliment.  I will use that crust in a few other dishes for sure.

Blueberry Cheesecake Squares, from Stonewall Kitchen
which I found on the Framed My Life one Picture at a time Blog

Cookie Crust:
*1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut up
* 1 teaspoon ice water

Cheesecake Filling:
*24 ounces (3 packages) softened cream cheese
* 1/2 cup sugar
*1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
*1 can sweetened condensed milk
*2 eggs
*3 egg whites
* 1 cup blueberry jam. I highly recommend Stonewall Kitchen Wild Maine Blueberry Jam! (I used Raspberry from a dear friend who made me local preserves!)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9X13 inch pan.

2. Place flour, sugar and salt in food processor and pulse.
3. Add butter and process until the dough begins to form a ball, adding ice water if necessary.
4. Press dough evenly over the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until crust is lightly golden, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes.
5. While cooling, prepare filling. Mix softened cream cheese, sugar, milk and vanilla until well blended.
6. Add eggs and mix just until eggs are incorporated.
7. In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until they form nice stiff peaks. Fold into cream cheese mixture.

8. After crust cools for 30 minutes, pour cheesecake filling evenly over the crust.
9. Spoon Jam randomly on top of filling and then swirl to combine.
10. Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 35-45 minutes or until center is set. Allow to cool in pan.

You can tell by just how beautiful this is, it would be a great casual dinner party dessert that would feed many, yet simpler than your average cheesecake. So, if fancy isn’t on the menu this one is perfect. Also, pour over this some fresh berries (the ones you make the square’s with would be my suggestion) as well and serve whipped cream and mint! To enjoy twilight, serve with an espresso with a slice of lemon rind. Great way to end a hot summer evening.

Listen to some Smokey Robinson!!! Don’t cha just love summertime?

And definitely wear your Hydrangea apron. Life is too short not to always feel fine! ;-)

Bon Appetit!