Apple and Cream Cheese Dessert

4 ounces of cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup of granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 package of crescent rolls

1 can of apple pie filling

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) of unsalted butter, melted Mixture of cinnamon and sugar*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 811 x 8" baking pan with non-stick spray and set aside. Hand whip the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract together until well blended.

Unroll the package of crescent rolls and cut into even halves. Pinch together the seams and place one of the halves into the bottom of the baking pan. Spread the cream cheese evenly on top of the dough and top that with the apple pie filling. If you are using a low sugar or sugar free apple pie filling, you'll probably want to add some sugar or brown sugar to the apples. Top with the other half of the dough and pour the melted butter all over. Sprinkle generously with the cinnamon sugar.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until golden brown. Let cool long enough to set the filling before cutting.

Cook's Notes: Using fresh apples? Just core, peel and slice and stew them down with a bit of butter for about 15-20 minutes until softe_􀀘ed. Let cool slightly before assembling the dessert. This also makes a perfectly delicious dessert even without the fruit.

Variations: Experiment with other pie fillings - cherry and blueberry are good substitutes with a plain sprinkling on top of regular granulated sugar instead of the cinnamon sugar. Try this with fresh peaches too! Mary from our Facebook page uses a cooked filling of 2 cups peaches, 1/2 cup sugar, & a tablespoon cornstarch, rather than a can of pie filling. Thanks Mary! Can double recipe for an oblong pan.

How to make Cinnamon Sugar: Combine 1/2 cup of sugar with 1 heaping tablespoon of cinnamon. Place into an old cleaned spice jar with a shaker top and shake well.