As someone who loves to cook, there is nothing better when someone loves a dish you made for them. There is a young man who lives close to us who takes care of our horses and other animals when we are out of town. He does such a good job and always tries to get out of us paying him to do it. One day, I left some banana bread and he went on and on about how good it was, and from that point forward, Gus was set with banana bread for life.
Recently, we took a trip and I didn’t have bananas for bread, so I put together another favorite treat at our house and left some for Gus. When we returned, he told my husband it was “the best thing he had ever had.” Now mind you, this young man is not stupid and is probably aware that he will now be set again, but this dessert truly is amazing.
It is my Dreamy Cheesecake Dessert, and it is one of the most decadent and delicious treats I make. It uses refrigerated crescent dough and is layered with a sweet and creamy orange filling. It reminds me of those orange and vanilla dream bars. It is so simple and can be assembled and baked in about 30 minutes. The only nightmare with this dreamy treat will be when it’s gone.
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Belle’s Dreamy Cheesecake Dessert
2 (10 ounce) cans refrigerated crescent rolls
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Flatten one tube of crescent roll dough, and press into the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch pan. Mix together the cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon orange zest and vanilla until smooth. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the dough in the pan. Unroll the remaining crescent roll dough, and place over the top of the cream cheese layer. Spread melted butter over the top. Mix together the one-quarter cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon orange zest and cinnamon and sprinkle over the top.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool, and refrigerate before serving.
Brenda Stanley is the mother of five children, including two sets of twins, and a grandmother of three. She is a cookbook author and novelist. Her website is at talesofthedinnerbelle.com.