Cheesecake bars

Preheat oven to 350 - grease a 9" square baking pan.

In a mixing bowl, cream together:

1/2 cup softened butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

Stir in 1-1/4 cups flour & blend until crumbly. Press most of the crumbs onto the bottom of the prepared pan, saving 1/2 cup (set aside) or so for the topping. (NOTE: If you want to add chopped walnuts or pecans to crust, add 1/2 cup to crumbs before pressing into pan.)

Bake the crust for 12-15 minutes or until it begins to turn golden in color.

While crust is baking, prepare filling. In a mixing bowl, cream together:

1 8 oz pk. cream cheese (room temperature/softened)

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

2 Tblsp. heavy cream

1 tsp. vanilla

After crust comes out of oven, spread the cream cheese over the crust. Sprinkle evenly with reserved crumbs. Return to oven and bake another 25-27 minutes or until set. Remove from oven - cool completely. Cut into squares. Store in refrigerator.

*** I bake these bars in a jelly roll pan (11x15) - you'll need to make adjustments, which comes out to increasing the ingredient amounts by 2-1/2 times (i.e. 1-1/4 c. soft butter, 2-1/2 8 oz. cream cheese, etc.)***