Cranberry-Filled Cheese Bars

Yield: 24 to 36 bars

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups oats
• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons ornstarch
• 1 (16 ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large mixer bowl, combine flour, oats, 1/4 cup brown sugar and butter or margarine. Mix until crumbly. Reserve 1 1/2 cups crumb mixture. Press remaining mixture firmly on bottom of prepared baking pan.
3. Bake for 15 minutes.
4. Remove from oven; set aside.
5. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy.
6. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth.
7. Stir in lemon juice. Spread over prepared crust.
8. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar and cornstarch.
9. Stir in cranberry sauce. Spoon evenly over cream cheese layer; spread with a butter knife as necessary.
10. Top with reserved crumb mixture.
11. Bake 40 minutes, or until topping is golden.
12. They are rich, so cut them small!
13. Cool, then refrigerate.
14. Store, covered, in refrigerator.