There are 3 desserts that I absolutely cannot resist. Really good chocolate cake, crème brûlée, and cheesecake. Of course I love all kinds of pies, and most homemade cakes, and cookies of every size, shape, and persuasion. But when push comes to shove, it’s chocolate cake, crème brûlée, or almost any flavor of cheesecake that wins every time.

So here I am sequestered at home not knowing what impact this pandemic is going to have. Not just on my life. But the lives of everyone around the world. And of course there is not a bloody thing I can do about it. I can stay home. I can be as careful and as thoughtful as possible. I can be as considerate and as kind as I know how to be with everyone, no matter how remote the contact may be. And I can cook. I can make our lives better by preparing meals that are especially delicious. So to that end I decided that cheesecake would undoubtedly make me happy. And I knew Mr. C. would appreciate a special dessert too. (He’s not as crazy about cheesecake as I am. But sometimes I put on my black cowboy hat and think of myself first. Granted it doesn’t happen that often. But I have my selfish moments just like everyone else!) Anyway, putting aside my justification for preparing this dessert, just let me say that it turned out beautifully. Crust not too sweet. Cheesecake very creamy, and the topping out of this world. And the best part – a very easy dish to prepare. Yes there are 3 steps. But look at the ingredient list. Not that many different items. And each step takes very little time or effort.

So if you need a simple dessert with which to treat yourself or your family, give this recipe a try. If you don’t have pie cherries in your freezer, make some other simple topping. In fact, these cheesecake bars would be delicious topped with a little chocolate or caramel sauce. Or some fresh blueberries or strawberries. Or a dollop of jam or jelly. Got lemon curd in your fridge? That would work too.

We all need some extra pampering during this medical crisis. This is a rough time for all of us. But a bit of something that smells good as it cooks or bakes, that your family knows will taste wonderful when it is set before them, is strong medicine. Maybe the best medicine we as cooks can provide if it helps our family keep a feeling of normality. Peace, love, and good health to all.     

• 1¼ c. graham cracker crumbs (from about 8 whole crackers)
• ¼ c. powdered sugar
• 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
• 5 T. melted unsalted butter
• 16 oz. (2 lg. pkgs.) cream cheese, room temp.
• 1¾ c. granulated sugar, divided
• ¼ c. sour cream, room temp.
• 3 lg. eggs, room temp.
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 4 tsp. cornstarch
• dash sea salt
• 1/3 c. water
• 4 c. frozen or fresh pitted tart pie cherries

Stir the graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, kosher salt, and melted butter together. Press into the bottom and up the sides about ½ inch, of an 8×8-inch square glass pan. (If you only have a metal pan, that’s fine. But a glass pan is my preference for these bars.)

Bake the crust in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 10 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and cool for a few minutes while you prepare the filing. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees.

Beat the cream cheese and 1 cup of the granulated sugar together until very smooth and creamy. (This is a very important step. If you don’t beat well, you will have small chunks of cream cheese in your final product. Trust me. Not what you want!)

Add the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla; mix until combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl as you go. Spoon the batter onto the prepared crust. Bake at 325 degrees for 35-40 minutes, or until the filling is set but still soft in the center. (An instant-read thermometer, inserted into the filling about 1-inch in from the edge, will read about 180 degrees.) Remove from oven. Cool to room temperature before placing in your fridge until ready to serve. Top cheesecake pieces with tart cherry sauce before serving.

While the cheesecake bakes, combine the remaining ¾ cup granulated sugar, cornstarch, and sea salt in a small saucepan. Whisk in water. Add the cherries and cook until the sugar is completely melted and the sauce is starting to thicken and is very bubbly. Remove from heat, cool completely, and store covered in your refrigerator until needed. Great on vanilla ice cream as well as on the cheesecake bars.