Dream Bars

The start of recipe was forwarded by a friend on the internet. I believe the original recipe was created by Taste and Home but after looking around Pinterest, there are so many variations! So of course, I put my variation together and created a 9x13 bar of Dream Bars.

While I am attempting to keep my promise to myself - which if you're asking, is to use all of the rhubarb up off the massive bush in my backyard. No waste this year. Yes, you read that right - some of it (or, a lot of it) was wasted in past years. But, on a positive note... even the waste in the past couple years is considerably less than the first few years we lived here. I had no idea what that big 'ol bush was! I thought it was just a regular, quite ugly, landscaping bush. And, remember before you judge, I have never once claimed to be a plant lady. In fact, I am basically a plant lady killer. I know how that reads... and I mean, I kill plants, not plant ladies.

Anyway, I probably could have skipped that and just told you I was using rhubarb. But, whatever. Next ramble... versatility - you know, it's my buzzword. . As I was mixing these up, I kept thinking about all of the possibilities. Can you imagine these bars with a mixture of chopped strawberries and rhubarb? Or, dare I even say Blueberries with a splash of lemon juice and lemon zest?

Ingredients:

Shortbread Crust

2 C. Flour

1/3 C. Sugar

1 C. Salted Butter, cut into cubes

Filling:

1 & 1/2 C. Sugar

1/2 C. Flour

1 C. Heavy Whipping Cream

3 Eggs

1 tsp. Vanilla

4 C. Rhubarb, Diced in 1/2 Chunks

Frosting:

8 oz. Cream Cheese, Softened

2 C. Powdered Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 C. Heavy Whipping Cream, Whipped

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 and line a 9x13 pan with

2. In a large bow, mix together the flour and sugar for the shortbread. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender

3. Press crust mixture into the lined pan & bake for 10 minutes

4. Next up, the filling. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, heavy whipping cream, eggs and vanilla. Once combined stir in the chopped rhubarb

5. Pour the filling onto of the crust and return to the oven for an additional 40-50 minutes of baking. You are looking to bake just until the filling has set.

6. Let the bars cool completely (so tempting to skip, I know - but don't do it!)

7. Next up, Frosting. Whisk together the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla. Fold in the whipped heavy whipping cream.

8. Once bars are cooled completely, spread the frosting over the bars.

9. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.