Recipes

Cream 1/2 c butter with 2 tbsp sugar and 1/8 tsp salt. Add flour; blend well. Press crumb mixture into bottom and sides of a 9"pan (don't cover rim).

Drain cherries, reserving juice. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 3 tbsp flour in sauce pan. Add cherry juice (3/4 c); mix well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly untio thick. Remove from heat, add cherries and food color. Turn into pie shell. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make cheesecake topping: combine 2/3 cup softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth. add egg and vanilla and beat until thick.

Spread cheesecake topping over partially baked pie, leaving a 3 inch circle in the middle. Bake for 30 minutes.

Cool completely and store in the refrigerator.

NOTES : not a cherry pie and not a cheesecake. Better than either one of those. There is a wonderful shortbread crust on the bottom, a thick and flavorful cherry filling in the middle and a nice cheesecake layer on top. Fantastic.