Cherry Streusel Cheesecake Bars
40 square shortbread cookies, finely crushed
2 tablespoons butter
3 8-oz. Pkg. Cream cheese, softened and divided
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 can (21 oz.) cherry pie filling
½ cup sliced almonds
Preheat oven to 350. Mix cookie crumbs, butter, and 4 oz. Cream cheese with mixer until blended. Reserve 1 ¼ cups of the mixture; press remaining onto bottom of a sprayed 9x13” pan. Bake 10 minutes; cool. Beat remaining cream cheese, sugar, eggs and extract until blended. Spread over crust; top with pie filling. Combine nuts and reserved crumb mixture; sprinkle over pie filling. Bake 30-32 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Keep refrigerated.
