Brownie Cream Cheese Bars

Ann Orton

The splendid cook, the late Jasmine Rich, shared this recipe with me as part of a food story on tailgate picnics in the Deseret News. It's been a family and neighborhood favorite for many years.

Brownie:

1 cup butter
4 squares unsweetened chocolate
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup nuts, chopped, optional
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Cream Cheese Filling:

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon, optional

Melt chocolate and butter; mix in sugar, eggs and salt. Add flour and vanilla. Spray 9 x 13 inch pan and spoon in half the brownie mixture. Layer with cream cheese mix. Top with remaining brownie mix. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Swirl the mixture with a knife. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Makes 48 brownies