CHEESECAKE COOKIES

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1/4 cup margarine (1/2 stick)
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup strawberry or raspberry preserves

Filling:

• 1 package cream cheese (8 oz)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. For the crust, cream margarine in a mixing bowl; add brown sugar and flour, blending until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Stir in pecans.
3. Reserve 1 cup of the mixture for topping. Press the remainder onto the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes, then cool.
4. Spread preserves over the cooled crust.
5. To prepare the filling, beat together cream cheese and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add egg, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla, mixing until smooth.
6. Pour filling over the crust and sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.
7. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and cut into bars or squares.