Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies

Two or three Springs ago, my husband planted a few raspberry bushes in our backyard, and raspberries are total hussies in case you didn't know, so during the summer, our back patch is full to the brim with raspberry bushes. I came up with this recipe to utilize the abundance of raspberries that I have when the plants are producing, but then I wanted this recipe during the winter, so I present the non-green thumb version of my original recipe.

What you'll need for a 9x11 pan of brownies:

1 package of your favorite brownie mix made for 9x11 pans.

WITH the eggs, water, and oil required by the box

PLUS

1 large egg

2/3 cup of sugar

8 oz of cream cheese, soften in the microwave for 45 seconds or until it is very soft

1 can of premium raspberry pie filling

You'll also need:

9x11 baking pan, with the bottom greased

a wooden skewer or chopstick

tooth pick

can opener

Preheat your oven to 350 F (or the temp indicated on your brownie mix)

Soften your cream cheese in a microwave safe bowl. It really needs to be soft (and a little warm is fine). 

Add 2/3 cup sugar, and whisk to incorporate.

Whisk one large egg to your cream cheese and sugar mixture.

Continue to beat until it is smooth and uniform.

Next, mix your brownies according to the box instructions.

Pour your finished brownie batter into a prepared 9x11 pan.

On top of your raw brownie batter, pour lines of cheesecake mixture (if it doesn't pour, it was not soft enough when you started).

Then, open your can of raspberry pie filling and fill in the spaces between your cheesecake lines using a spoon. Remember to go all the ways to the top of every row so each brownie has some cheesecake and raspberry.

Next, take your wooden skewer, and starting about an inch below the top left corner, draw a line to the right with the skewer. When you get to the end of the row, drop down another inch and go in the opposite direction (back to the left) to make a marbled design.

Keep doing that until you have marbled the entire surface of the brownies.

See how pretty? 

Now it goes into a 350 degree oven (or whatever you brownie box recommends for your pan), and bake for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick (or skewer) comes out with only small crumbs. 

You may have to cook it a while longer than expected, just keep checking until you don't have raw batter at the center of the pan.

Let them cool, then cut them and enjoy.

Store them in the fridge, since they have the cheesecake topping... if they last that long.

Yum!