Strawberry Cheesecake Brownies

Very good and rich.  This makes a lot, so this is a great dish for a carry-in or party dessert.
Ingredients:

1 box brownie mix, your choice

½ C vegetable oil

¼ C water

4 large eggs

2-8oz packages softened cream cheese (I use Neufchatel, because it has less calories/fat)

1-14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1/3 C lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ C seedless strawberry jam

¾ C walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*.  Spray 13 x 9 pan with no-stick cooking spray.

Combine brownie mix, oil, water and 2 eggs in bowl.  Stir.  Stir in nuts if desired.  Bake 20 minutes.

Beat cream cheese until fluffy.  Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk. Slowly mix in 2 eggs, lemon juice and vanilla until smooth.  Pour over warm brownies.

Stir jam until smooth.  Drop teaspoonfuls over cream cheese.  Use knife and swirl jam gently into cream cheese filling to create marbling.

Bake additional 35-40 minutes or until top is lightly browned.  Cool 1 hour.  Loosely cover and chill in refrigerator for 2 hours or more.  Cut into 16 bars.  Store in fridge.

Other suggestions:

Layer strawberry jam between brownies and cheesecake.  Do not marble.

Use caramel, either swirled into cheesecake or layered between, and add mini chocolate chips to cheesecake mix.  Top with caramel and nuts for turtle cheesecake brownies.

Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

The perfect blend of chocolate and peanut butter.  Tastes a lot like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup!

Ingredients:

1/2 C butter

1/2 C packed brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 C peanut butter

2 1/2 C confectioner's sugar

2 C semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Melt butter over low heat.  Add sugars, peanut butter and vanilla, mix well.  Press into a 9x13 pan.  Melt chocolate chips and spread over top.  Refrigerate until firm.  Allow to sit and come to room temp before cutting to prevent chocolate top from splintering too much.

Easy Holiday 7-Layer Bars

Rich and decadent--a new favorite for my hubby.

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 C butterscotch chips

1 C shredded coconut

1-1/2 C crumbled graham crackers (approx. 8 whole crackers)

1/2 C butter (I used unsalted butter)

1 C chopped walnuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*F.  Place butter in 13x9 pan, and place in oven until butter is melted.  Swirl to coat bottom and sides with butter.  Spread crumbs evenly over bottom of pan.  Layer chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and nuts over crumbs.  Pour condensed milk over nuts.  Sprinkle coconut over condensed milk.  Bake 25 minutes or until edges are golden brown.  Let cool.