Lemon Dream Bars

Melt the butter in a small microwavable dish in the microwave. In a medium glass bowl, whisk the sugar and lemon zest together and mix until well coated. Whisk in the eggs and the egg yolk. Add the lemon juice and mix again. While continuing to mix, slowly add the butter and stir until completely smooth.
Microwave at 50% power for 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and stir. Microwave for an additional minute at full power and stir again. Repeat microwaving and stirring afterwards for an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove from the microwave when mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remember, BOWL MAY BE HOT. The curd will thicken from a pourable to spoonable consistency as it cools. Use 1 ½ cups for this recipe and store the remainder in an airtight glass jar. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Prepare an 8 X 8-inch baking dish by lining it with parchment, if desired. This will allow you to lift the bars out of the pan and cut them evenly into squares. Or spray it with some cooking spray.
Put the butter in a medium microwavable-safe bowl and cook for 30 seconds. Stir and cook for an additional 15 seconds or more until completely melted.
Place 24 of the Lemon Oreos into a food processor, and pulse until they are fine crumbs. Add the cookie crumbs to the melted butter, and stir with a rubber spatula until well combined. Press the mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly to the edges. Place the pan into the freezer to set for at least 30 minutes.

Put the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract into a medium mixing bowl, and beat until well combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Fold in 1 cup of the whipped topping with a rubber spatula until mixed.

Remove the crust from the freezer and place dollops of the cheesecake filling onto the crust. Using an offset spatula, spread the cheesecake evenly to all sides of the pan.
Using 1 1/2 cups of the cooled lemon curd, place spoonfuls over the cheesecake and gently spread to corners.
Place dollops of the remaining whipped topping or Stabilized Whipped Cream on top and completely cover. Place into the refrigerator for a minimum of two hours.
Place 8 complete Lemon Oreos into a zippered sandwich bag and crush with your hands or a rolling pin. Sprinkle cookies and fresh lemon zest over the top before serving. Remove the bars by lifting the parchment out of the pan. The bars will slice best when cut with a warm knife. Run it under hot water in between cuts and wipe with a paper towel.