Courtesy of The Lady & Sons Just Desserts by Ms. Paula Deen
Crust
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1 stick butter, melted
Filling
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Finely chop your cup of chopped pecans. Combine flour, brown sugar, pecans, and butter in bowl into a ball. Press dough into an ungreased 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
For filling, beat cream cheese and granulated sugar together until smooth, in your mixer or using a handheld electric mixer; add eggs and extract; beat well. Pour over crust. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool completely & then cover in foil & refrigerate for several hours. Cut into squares before serving.
Ms. Deen suggests decorating the tops with berries and mint leaves which I think would be very pretty. My batch left the kitchen just plain & in large and small bites (of course for the boys & the girls).
