Yummy Cherries!

How can you not like cherries?! That sweet and tart taste all in one little tiny fruit, what's not to like. And using a canned cherry pie filling just increases that wonderful flavor. Check out the recipe below for a mouthwatering experience!

CHERRY CHEESECAKE STREUSEL BARS

 MAKES: 24 bars
PREP Time: 20 minutes
TOTAL Time: 3 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients:
1 pouch of dry cookie mix (choose from sugar, oatmeal or chocolate chip)
1/2 cup of butter (do not soften)
2 8oz. packages of cream cheese, softened (you can use low fat if you'd like)
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons of all purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla (for a different flavor, try almond extract)
1 egg
1 can cherry pie filling (21 oz.)
1/4 cup chopped pecans (if desired)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9x13" pan with cooking spray. Put the cookie mix in a bowl and with a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the cold butter until it's crumbly. Put aside 1-1/2 cups of this mixture for the topping. Press the remainder into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake this for 10 minutes to set it.

While that's baking, beat the softened cream cheese, sugar, flour, vanilla and egg with an electric mixer in a large bowl, at medium speed, until it's smooth. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the crust. Top with the pie filling by topping spoonfuls evenly over the cream cheese. Finish by topping with the reserved crust mixture and if desired, top with your chopped pecans. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until it's a light golden brown.

Cool for 30 minutes before chilling. Chilling time is 2 hours, if you can wait that long! Cut your bars into 24 pieces and be sure to refrigerate the rest.



Going to the park for a barbeque?  Take this handy Aluminum Framed Picnic Cooler Basket 

with attached BBQ Set along with you, it's an easy way to carry those much needed BBQ tools with you while keeping your food cool.