que delicioso!!

As I was planning the Cinco de Mayo staff dinner that I hosted last week, the one thing I had to get just right was, of course, dessert. But to be honest, I just didn't have the mental capacity for anything complicated or too unique. Then a friend mentioned sopapilla cheesecakes - which reminded me of a recipe for sopapilla cheesecake squares that I'd found last year in Semi-Homemade magazine. Perfect! Everyone loved them, and my only regret was that there were so few leftovers. But this recipe is so easy, that making another batch requires just a quick trip to the grocery store.

ingredients:
2 8-ounce packages, cream cheese (softened)
1 3/4 cup, granulated sugar (divided)
1 teaspoon, vanilla extract
2 8-ounce cans, refrigerated crescent roll dough
1/3 - 1/2 cup, butter (softened) *
1 1/2 teaspoons, ground cinnamon
confectioners' sugar

instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9x13 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, 1 cup of granulated sugar and vanilla; beat with electric mixer for 30 seconds to one minute (or until smooth).

3. Unroll crescent dough. ** Place one rectangle of dough into the bottom of pan, making sure dough covers entire bottom. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over dough in the pan. Top with second rectangle of dough.

4. In a small bowl, stir together 3/4 cup of granulated sugar, butter and cinnamon. Spread on top of dough.

5. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the dough has puffed and turned golden brown. Let cool completely in pan on wire rack (about 1-2 hours). Dust with confectioners' sugar, and cut into squares.

6. Serve, and enjoy!

Where I am: home
What I'm re-reading: Beach Music by Pat Conroy

* The original recipe calls for 1/2 cup butter; but after the dessert was finished baking, there was a small puddle of melted butter on top that didn't entirely soak into the dough. Next time, I may try 1/3 cup of butter, to see if that makes a difference.

** Pillsbury now sells unperforated sheets of crescent roll dough that works amazingly for things like this. If that's not available, regular packages of crescent roll dough work; you just have to seal the perforations with a rolling pin or your fingers.