My Cinderella story

Some friends of ours hosted a summer dessert competition, which was held one evening a month.  It was really fun (although totally NOT for anyone on a diet) - a picnic in the park followed by dessert competition.  This is a dessert lover's dream - tasting several different kinds of desserts.  The first 3 competitions had a particular theme - cookies/bars/brownies, cakes/tortes, and pies/cheesecakes.  The desserts were assigned a number and then we all voted on our favorite.  The top 3 desserts in each round were qualified for the final competition.  I entered in all of the competitions and didn't make it in the top three UNTIL the 3rd round, when I was one of the ONLY two desserts that were made.  That doesn't count, right?  I wasn't voted in, but they were insistent that I was indeed in the final round.  Oh great.  I'm not a great baker.  I don't even like to cook.  And I surely didn't have a WOW recipe sitting in my recipe box.  Nathan even commented, "Now you're going to have to think of something good, Mama."  Thanks Nathan.  (I really was thinking in my mind that I could come in as the "Cinderella" of the competition and win it.)    

I thought I'd get out of it, since I didn't think we'd make it back in time.  But since it looked like we might make it, I decided to go ahead and make something ahead of time.  I didn't have a special family recipe sitting around that I hadn't used already (mom's cherry pie), so I went on-line in search of an "award-winning" recipe.  What I ended up choosing was not because it sounded gourmet, but because it sounded really easy to make.  The recipe called for a package of refrigerated cookie dough and a cheesecake filling.  You layer half of the cookie dough on the bottom, topped by cheesecake layer, topped with the other half of the dough.  I did tweak the recipe.  I used my mom's chocolate chip cookie recipe and decided to also put crumbled Twix bars on the top.  This is really unhealthy.  If you're trying to lose weight, DO NOT make this.  One square is like eating 2-4 chocolate chip cookies, a slice of cheesecake, and a Twix bar at the same time.

Anyway, I made it at 6:30am the day of, and didn't think it turned out.  Having never made it before, I wasn't sure what the crust was supposed to look like - it seemed too soft.  I stuck it in the fridge anyway.  We got back into town at 6:15pm.  The dessert competition started at 6:00.  I almost said "forget it" but then I thought about that whole pan of dessert sitting in the fridge AND the fact that I got up early to make it.  We went home and tasted it - if it was yucky, I wasn't going to go.  But surprisingly, it was really yummy.  We still had to eat dinner, so we picked up pizza on the way.  By the time we got to the park, it was 6:50.  I had no intention of being in the competition - I only wanted to share my dessert so we wouldn't be forced to eat all of it ourselves.  But upon arrival, they immediately said, "We have a late arrival!  Don't tally up the votes yet!"  It really was kind-of embarrassing.  But with technically 10 minutes of voting left, my dessert got a number.  

And then... I won.  

(Okay, so there were only 6 desserts to choose from I think, but I guess I still had the most votes.)  

I got to stand in front of everyone with a silly (yet very fun and creative) hat while everyone applauded and I opened my prize.  And people asked about my recipe.  Well... I found it on-line.  Just a lucky pick and lucky that it turned out.  And smart enough to add Twix bars on top!  :)  Who doesn't love those?  

When I got home, I was reminded of how not-so-great I am at baking when I picked up the rock solid strawberry shortcake crust from the previous night's baking...  oh well.  

My prince charming requested the chocolate chip Twix cheesecake bars for his birthday instead of his all-time favorite M&M cookies - sweet victory.               

I'll share the recipe when I get around to FINDING it and adding my revisions.