May 27th is a great time to help educate all on sun safety and the use of sun screen. Awareness of the use of sunscreen is important to educate not only ones self but also all those that we love. UV rays from the sun are very dangerous and harmful to our health. Right now is the perfect time before summer gets in full swing and vacation and visits to the beaches and swimming pools start up.
UV or ultraviolet rays from the sun are a serious risk one that we must be ready for. Overexposure to the sun can cause a number of health problems.Skin cancer as well as sunspots cam result in premature aging of your skin. Sunscreen is the protection that doctors and medical professionals recomend. The sun screen helps guard against health problems and the higher the number of skin protection factor (SPF) the more sun protection is offered. A sunscreen with a SPF of 15 or more is most often recommended.
Sunscreen should be used during all outdoor activities. Swimming is an activity that also requires a sunscreen that was water safety. Some may think that sunscreen is not needed on cloudy days but this is actually not true as UV rays are also present on cloudy days as they can penetrate through the clouds.
No better day to share a dessert that seems to be sunshine itself. Yummy!!! This Lemony "sunshine" dessert will please your taste buds if you love cheesecake and lemon flavor
• 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (about 10 whole crackers processed in food processor)
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• Pinch salt
• Pinch cinnamon
• 6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Ingredients (Filling):
• 2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened at room temp
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• Sweet Vanilla Bean Sour Cream (recipe below)
• Lemon Curd (recipe below, or you can use store bought)
• Edible gold “dust”, for garnish, if desired
-Preheat the oven to 350°, and line a 11 x 7 x 1 ½” baking dish (or even a 9 x 9”) with enough foil so that there is an overhang (makes for easier lifting/removing of the cooled bars), and mist lightly with cooking spray.
-To prepare your crust, add all of the crust ingredients to a bowl, and using your fingers or a fork, combine until all the crumbs are well coated in the melted butter; pour the crumb mixture into the prepared foil-lined baking dish, and press them using the back of a measuring cup to create an even layer of crust; set aside.
-To prepare your filling, add the softened cream cheese, along with the lemon zest and juice, into the bowl of a food processor, and process until smooth; add the sugar, the eggs and the vanilla, and process again until completely blended and smooth; pour the filling over the prepared crust, and smooth out the top.
-Bake the cheesecake bar mixture for about 30-35 minutes, or just until the center of it still slightly jiggles; remove from oven and allow it to cool for 30 minutes.
-Place into the fridge and allow to completely chill for at least 3 hours (or even overnight, ideally) to set.
-Once cooled and set, lift the cheesecake out with the overhanging foil; spread the Sweet Vanilla Bean Sour Cream over the top, then cut into 12 equal bars. (You can let the sour cream “set” just a bit in the fridge for 30 minutes before cutting into bars, if desired.)
-To finish, drizzle/pipe some of the Lemon Curd over the top of the bars decoratively, and sprinkle with a little edible gold “dust”, if desired.
-Serve bars cold.
Sweet Vanilla Bean Sour Cream Ingredients:
• ¾ cup sour cream
• ½ vanilla bean (alternately, you can substitute about ½ teaspoon of pure vanilla extract)
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Preparation:
-Add the sour cream to a bowl; next, split the vanilla bean pod down the center, and scrape the paste out of it; add it to the sour cream.
-Add in the powdered sugar, and gently whisk the ingredients together just until blended; cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Lemon Curd Ingredients:
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• 3 whole eggs
• 3 egg yolks
• 2/3 cups fresh lemon juice
Preparation:
-In a medium-size bowl, combine the sugar with the lemon zest, and using your fingers, work the zest into the sugar.
-Add the whole eggs, the yolks and the juice, and gently whisk to combine.
-Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water (double boiler method), and using a spatula, carefully and continually stir the mixture for about 6-8 minutes, scraping the sides and the bottom of the bowl to prevent scrambling (it’s alright if you have a little scrambling), or until it becomes thickened and has a pudding-like consistency.
-Strain the curd into a clean bowl, then cover with plastic wrap directly touching the curd, and cool completely in the fridge. (This recipe makes enough curd for the bars plus lots extra to enjoy swirled into plain Greek yogurt, spread on toast, spooned onto ice cream, etc. So delicious!! Keeps for about 2 weeks in fridge when covered.)
