Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Make strawberry jam first. In a blender add Fresh Strawberries (3 cups) . Blend until it’s a purée.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add strawberry purée, Granulated Sugar (1 cup) and zest of the Lemon (1) . Stir until sugar is dissolved. Allow to come to a simmer, lower the heat to low and cook for 15-20 minutes. Remove any foam on top with a spoon while it cooks. Add the jam to a bowl and allow to cool.

In a medium size bowl, combine Graham Crackers (14) and Butter (1/2 cup) until it resembles wet sand. Press down the cookie crumbs on a 9x9-inch square pan that’s been lined with aluminum foil. Place it in the fridge until you are ready to use it.

In a large bowl, add Cream Cheese (2 pckg) , Granulated Sugar (3/4 cup) and Vanilla Extract (1/2 Tbsp) . Using a hand electric mixer, mix until everything is well combined and smooth with no lumps. Add Sour Cream (1/4 cup) and mix until combined. Mix in the Eggs (2) one at a time.

Pour cheesecake mixture over the cookie crust. Spread evenly with a spatula.

Spoon the strawberry jam on top of the cheesecake, a few dollops at a time. Use a skewer or knife to swirl the mixture as much or as little as you'd like.

Bake cheesecake at 350 degrees F (176 degrees C) for 30 minutes. Once it’s baked, allow it to cool for 30 minutes on your counter.

Place in the fridge until it sets; 2-3 hours, then cut them into squares. You can add more jam on the side if you want!