ALMOND CHEESECAKE BARS

Remember when you need to "take a dish", offer to bring the dessert. When you take the dessert you know you can have a piece with everyone else and you won't have it at home tempting you to have more than one piece! Save desserts for special occasions and never over-indulge!

Crust:

1 1/4 cups sugar-free vanilla wafer crumbs
1/4 cup Splenda granulated
1/3 cup salt-free butter, melted
1/4 cup toasted almonds, ground fine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl combine all the above ingredients together then press onto the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan.

Bake crust 10 to 12 minutes or until firm.

Filling:
12 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup Splenda granulated
2 large eggs
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream or plain yogurt
2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1/4 cup toasted, sliced almonds for topping

In a mixer bowl combine the cream cheese and Splenda together, beating until smooth.  Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping sides of bowl and mixing well after each egg.  Add the sour cream (or yogurt), vanilla extract, and almond extract; mix well.  Pour filling over the prepared crust.

Bake at 350 degrees until firm, approximately 40 to 45 minutes.

Top with the toasted almonds.

This is the file photo.