Blintz Casserole

12 Servings (we got 20 or so pieces at a pot luck with other food for 20 people)

Cheese Filling

1-1/2 pounds ricotta cheese

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature

2 eggs

¼ cup sugar

3-1/2 Tb fresh lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest (I think I used Tb.)

1 tsp orange zest (I think I used Tb.)

1/8 tsp salt

Batter

1 cup flour

1 Tb baking powder

1/8 ts salt

½ cup sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted

3 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup blanched slivered almonds, toasted (I forgot these and people still loved it)

Sour cream

Strawberry preserves

For filling : Using electric mixer, beat all ingredients until blended. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead and refrigerated.)

For batter: Preheat oven to 300° F. Butter 9x13-inch baking pan. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. (I used spiral whisk.) Mix in sugar. Add milk and vanilla to eggs and beat to combine. Add egg mixture and melted butter to flour mixture and beat (smash) with whisk until smooth.

Pour half of the batter into prepared pan and smooth. Spoon filling over, gently spreading without mixing into batter. Pour remaining batter over. (I had to spoon it over and it was more like blobs of batter that begin to sink. That's OK. Spread as best you can. It will still bake up just fine - like a magic crust). Bake until set, about 1-1/2 hours. Sprinkle with almonds. Cut into squares. Serve warm, passing sour cream and jam separately.