Lemon Cream Cheese Bars

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This recipe has been around for a while now. Its use of crescent rolls lead me to believe the recipe had come from the Pillsbury test kitchen, but I, instead, found it on the All Recipes site. I made the bars last weekend and because they were well received, I decided to feature them here. I did make one change to the ingredient list you see below. I used a pound of sweet dough instead of the crescent rolls that are called for in the recipe. As it happened, I had dough on hand and using crescent rolls would have meant a trip to the grocery store, so I took the line of least resistance and used what I had on hand. I'm sure the crescent rolls would also have worked well. I did want to talk a bit about the quantity of lemon that is used in this recipe. Its pretty non-specific. The lemons I use weigh about 6 ounces each. One lemon gives me 2 tablespoons of juice and 1 tablespoon of zest. If you use those super large lemons that look like they've been on steroids, I think you'll end up with bars that are unpleasantly acidic. You have been warned. This recipe is easy to follow and I think those of you who have not tried the bars might want to give it a try. Here is how the bars are made.

Child's Play - Easy Eclair Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I can't for the life of me figure why this was called an eclair cake. Its layers and appearance are more like a Napoleon than an eclair, but then I wasn't asked to name it, or, for that matter, to offer my opinion on it one way or the other. That never stops me. For reasons that escape me, I never put the recipe on the blog, despite the fact we have it whenever there are youngsters in the house. This dessert scores on two levels. It is delicious and also easy to make. As a matter of fact, it's so easy to make, that I turn the task over to the children when they are around. I have two versions of the topping that is used for the dessert. One involves boiling the glaze, the other is a more simple mix and stir application that the kids can make without getting burned. The recipe is straight forward and the only caution I have to share with you regards time. You can assemble the cake in 10 minutes, but it will require refrigeration for at least 8 hours before it is served. During that time, the graham crackers soften and begin to absorb the filling as it sets. You can create a dozen variations of the basic recipe by using different puddings and adding fruit to the layers. When you are working with children, however, it is best to keep the ingredients as simple as possible. It's also imperative to let them know they can't eat it right away. Actually, they can, but the dessert will look like a hot mess on the plate if it is served before it has set. I hope those of you who have never tried this recipe will give it a try. Here is how the eclair cake is made.