Cherries 'N Cream Bars

These decadent cookie bars have a chocolate cookie crumb crust topped with a mixture of sweetened condensed milk, cherry pie filling, slivered almonds and chocolate chips.

Recipe Ingredients:

2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 cups heavy cream
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (21-ounce) can cherry filling and topping
1/2 cup slivered almonds, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Cooking Directions:

1. Put cookie crumbs, sugar and butter in a medium mixing bowl; mix well. Press into the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
2. Put heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla in a large mixing bowl; stir to mix. Refrigerate, covered, at least 30 minutes. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed 3 to 4 minutes, or until soft peaks form. Do not overbeat.
3. Gently fold in cherry filling, almonds and chocolate chips. Spoon cherry mixture evenly over crumb crust. Cover and freeze 6 to 8 hours, or overnight.
4. To serve, let stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Cut into squares or bars. Garnish with additional cherry filling and mint leaves, if desired.

Makes 24 bars.

Recipe provided courtesy of the Cherry Marketing Institute.