Cranberry-Filled Cheese Bars

Yield: 24 to 36 bars (They are rich, so cut them small.)

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups oats
• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 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.
3. Reserve 1 1/2 cups crumb mixture. Press remaining mixture firmly on bottom of prepared baking pan.
4. Bake for 15 minutes. 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.
8. Spread over prepared crust.
9. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar and cornstarch.
10. Stir in cranberry sauce.
11. Spoon evenly over cream cheese layer; spread with a butter knife as necessary.
12. Top with reserved crumb mixture.
13. Bake for 40 minutes, or until topping is golden.
14. Cool, then refrigerate.
15. Store, covered, in refrigerator.