Cheesecake Bars With Walnut Crumble

This is the last of my baking for the holiday season. It's a bit ironic that I eat sweets infrequently yet my thickest recipe file is the one labeled "desserts".  In there, just like all of my other files, are tear sheets from magazines I have amassed over the years as well as recipe note cards where I  have captured recipes from friends and family  that I "just had to have".  Most recipes I will never get around to making, yet there are a handful I keep coming back to because I know that they are delicious and require minimal time.  This recipe, like all of the holiday desserts I prepared this season, fall into this category. These bars taste just like really good cheesecake and they can be whipped up in an instant.

Cheesecake Bars With Walnut Crumble

1/3 c butter, room temperature

1/3 c firmly packed brown sugar

1 c flour

1/2 c finely chopped walnuts {quickly pulse them a few times in a food processor or grinder, being careful not to overdo it}

8 oz cream cheese

1/4 c sugar

1 egg

2 T milk

1 T lemon juice

1/2 t vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar in a small bowl. Add flour and walnuts and mix to create a crumb mixture. Reserve 1 cup and press the remaining into an 8" square baking pan. Bake until browned, 12-15 minutes.

Blend sugar with cream cheese until smooth. Add egg, milk, lemon juice and vanilla. Beat well. Spread over baked crust. Sprinkle with reserved topping and bake for 25 minutes. Let cool before cutting into squares.