Banana Liqueur Cheesecake Bars

We had some bananas that were perfectly ripe and I had 2 bricks of cream cheese in the fridge for no particular reason, so I decided to do a cross between my Banana Cream Pie Bars, my Cranberry Cheese Squares and my Peppermint Mocha Kahlua Chocolate Chip Cheesecake (man, that was a long, dumb title, but a delicious cheesecake!)  These came out bomb... as I knew they would, because all three of those recipes are bomb!

It also helps that we live a block from a corner store... so it's quite easy to run down there and get some of those mini bottles of liqueur! 

This song was on in the car the other day.  I always feel like I need to smoke a pack of cloves before I attempt to sing it... heheh.  Alkaline Trio - Sleepyhead.  -jen
 

BANANA LIQUEUR CHEESECAKE BARS
Prep Time:  20 minutes
Cook Time:  45 minutes to cook, 1 hour to cool
Difficulty:  Medium
Makes: 18-24 squares

Crust:

• 3/4 cup old fashioned oats
• 2/3 cup flour
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 6 tablespoons of butter, softened

Filling:

• 2 large bananas, sliced into 1/4"-thick rounds
• 1 pound (two 8oz bricks) cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 eggs, room temp
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup banana liqueur (or 2 of the small 50ml "airplane" bottles) 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Coat a 9"x13" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

In a food processor, combine all of the crust ingredients and pulse several times until all flour is incorporated and mix is lumpy.  Spread evenly into prepared baking dish and then press it firmly into the pan and about 1" to 1.5" up the sides with your hand.  Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes.  Remove and set aside.  (This is called "blind baking".)  Leave oven on!

While crust is baking, place softened cream cheese in a mixing bowl and beat until creamy using a stand mixer or hand mixer.  Add sugar and beat until combined.  Add eggs 1 at a time until combined.  Then add vanilla and banana liqueur, mix until smooth and creamy.

Layer sliced bananas over crust that's been blind baked, then pour batter evenly over the top.  Bake at 375 for 45 minutes until top is lightly browned and center is springy to the touch.  Let cool for 1 hour, then store in the refrigerator.

Option:  If you knew they were all going to be eaten right away, you could always make some homemade whipped cream (or Cool Whip, but I say go with the former!) and spread it over the entire top of the cooled dish.  I knew we'd have a bunch leftover to store in the fridge and I didn't want the whipped cream to melt over them all, so I just did it per serving.
 

Elvis Bread (Peanut Butter Banana Bread)

Well, we had some bananas sitting around getting old.  We had some organic peanut butter in the fridge, and we really don't eat peanut butter in our house.  So I decided I was going to make something with them.  I really don't enjoy baking much at all.  Sure, I'll make a cheesecake here and there, and sometimes I get a baking bug up my butt, but it's not something I really enjoy like cooking.  I Googled for different ideas - cookies, muffins, cakes, breads.  In the end, I didn't really like any of the recipes I found so I simply decided I was going to make peanut butter banana bread and come up with my own recipe by combining elements of recipes I found on line.  I was really happy with the results!  When we ate the bread by itself, the peanut butter flavour was really strong, but didn't over-power the banana, it was a nice balance.  When we made french toast with it, or toasted it with some butter (which was like waffles!), the peanut butter got a little weaker, but it was still freakin' delicious!

I still want to play with this recipe... being that I'm calling it "Elvis Bread", I so want to make it again and add a bunch of crumbled bacon to it!  I think it would be killer.  And I might add a little more butter, too.  Though the bread wasn't dry, I don't think it was as moist as I'd like it.  But until I make it again, this is the recipe I made the other night.

I'm torn about what kind of music to post.  It's Elvis Bread, so you'd think I'd have been listening to Elvis, but I wasn't (even though I love The King!)  I was actually listening to some soul music when I baked it (so you know it's was made with some love): Solomon Burke, Maurice Williams, Sam & Dave, Ike & Tina.  However, this is a punk rock cooking blog, and because the bread was made with bananas, the first song that popped into my head was The Dead Milkmen's "Smokin' Banana Peels" on the album Beelzebubba.  I remember discovering this album in 7th grade with the only other weirdo in school, my good friend, Nate.  Sneaking into the cafeteria with out little boombox, playing Punk Rock Girl over and over.  And so, rather than posting "Smokin' Banana Peels", I'm going with "Punk Rock Girl".  -jen

ELVIS BREAD

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 large)
• 1 cup peanut butter, melted (just throw in microwave for 30-60 seconds)
• 4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cream butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time, making sure each is incorporated before adding more.  Add mashed banana and peanut butter.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon.  Incorporate dry ingredients into large ingredients, a little at a time.  Batter will be very thick. 

Spray a cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Pour in batter and smooth until even.  Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a knife or toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean.