Cream Cheese Bars

We're not big cheesecake lovers in this household so there's a good chance you'll never see a recipe for anything too cheesecakey(?) on this blog. But when I came across this recipe for cream cheese bars they really sounded good. They're light, not too sweet with a light lemony flavor. A kind of refreshing dessert for this awful hot weather we've been having.

And they are quick and easy to make...again, perfect for a hot day in my non-airconditioned kitchen!

First make the crust by creaming the butter and brown sugar, then adding in the flour and walnuts.
Save a cupful for the topping, then press the remainder into your 8" square pan.
Bake for 12 minutes.

While the crust is baking, make the filling by beating the cream cheese, gradually adding in the sugar, egg, milk, lemon juice and vanilla.

Then take the crust out of the oven and pour the filling over top.
Sprinkle the remaining crust mixture over that and bake again for 25 minutes.
Keep chilled, once set, in the fridge.

Cream Cheese Bars ("from Farm Journal's Complete Home Baking Book", 1979)
Makes 16 squares

1/3 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup AP flour
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1 (8 oz.) pgk. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp. milk
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest ( my addition)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
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Preheat oven to 350. Butter lightly an 8" square pan.

1. Cream butter and sugar til light and fluffy.
2. Stir in flour and chopped walnuts, mixing til crumbly. Remove 1 cup of mixture and reserve for topping.
3. Press remaining mixture into bottom of prepared pan and bake for 12 minutes, or til golden brown.
4. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese til smooth, gradually adding sugar, egg, milk, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla, beating well.
5. Spread cream cheese mixture over baked crust, then sprinkle the top with remaining crust mixture.
6. Bake for 25 minutes, or til set.
7. Cool in pan on rack. Store in fridge. Cut when cool into 2" squares.