Easter morning can be quite hectic with lunches, dinners, church events, and Easter egg hunts. But I challenge you to try something new this year! These fruity cheesecake bites and lemon poppy seed pancakes are absolutely amazing and quite simple! Just follow the directions...

Fruity Cheesecake Bites

Ingredients

• 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temp
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (17.3-oz.) package frozen pie crusts (2 sheets), thawed
• 1 1/2 cups fruit (See Kelly’s note)
• 1 large egg

Preheat the oven to 400°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese with the sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla extract until creamy.

Unfold the puff pastry sheets onto a lightly floured work surface. Lightly roll the pastry with a rolling pin to seal the perforations. Using a 4-inch round cookie cutter (or glass), cut out four circles from each sheet of pie crust.

Transfer four pastry circles onto each baking sheet, spacing the circles about 2 inches apart. Lightly score a circular border 1/4-inch from the edges then prick the centers of each pastry with a fork. Spread a portion of the cream cheese mixture inside the border of each pastry then top the cream cheese with fruit.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush the edges of the pastries with the egg wash then sprinkle them with the sanding sugar (optional). Bake the pastries for 15 to 18 minutes or until they’re golden and puffed.

Remove the pastries from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes

Dry ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

Wet ingredients

• 1 cup buttermilk
• zest of two lemons
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• 3 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup poppy seed

1. Whisk together the dry ingredients.
2. In a separate bowl, blend the wet ingredients together and slowly add in the poppy seeds.
3. Add the wet to the dry and mix just until combined, don't over mix, you want your pancakes to be fluffy! Lumps are fine.
4. Cook on a lightly greased griddle until lightly golden on both sides.
5. Serve hot with maple syrup.