Raspberry Almond Cream Cheese Bars with Orange Glaze ~ Another Blue Ribbon Winner!

I won a blue ribbon and an $75 gift card at our local fair this year with these raspberry almond cream cheese bars. I entered them in the King Arthur Flour, sweet or savory bar contest. I found the recipe

here...http://rachelleunderwood.blogspot.com/2010/06/raspberry-almond-cream-bars.html  

I added a orange glaze found here..http://therecipecritic.com/2013/05/mini-orange-monkey-rolls/ 

and garnished each bar with a fresh mint leaf and a fresh raspberry. 

Raspberry Almond Cream Cheese Bars with Orange Glaze

1 cup butter

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour

1/3 cup quick oats

1/3 cup chopped almonds

1 small jar seedless raspberry jam

8oz. cream cheese, softened

1 can sweetened condensed milk

Orange Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

zest of a orange

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoon orange juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (I reduced the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. because I used a dark non-stick baking pan.)

~ In a large mixing bowl combine sugar, salt and vanilla, mix well.

~ Add flour to the sugar mixture and mix until well blended.

~ Reserve 1 cup of this mixture for the bar topping.

~ In a ungreased 9 x 9-inch baking pan, press the cookie mixture evenly into bottom of  the pan. ( I used a 11 x 7-inch baking pan)

~ Bake for about 10-15 minutes. (I baked mine10 minutes)

~ Remove from oven and set aside.

~ In a medium bowl combine cream cheese and the can of sweetened condensed milk. Mix until well blended.

~ Poor cream cheese mixture over the cookie base.

~ Stir raspberry jam to soften, making it easier to spread over the cream cheese layer. ( I drizzled the jam over the cream cheese layer)

~ Spread the raspberry jam evenly over the cream cheese mixture. ( I swirled the raspberry jam over the  surface of the cream cheese mixture)

~ Add quick oats and chopped almonds to the reserved cookie mixture, mix well.

~ Crumble the oat mixture evenly over the top of the cream cheese and raspberry jam layer.

~ Bake for 25-30 minutes.

~ Remove bars from oven and cool slightly.

~ Meanwhile make the orange glaze by mixing powdered sugar, orange zest, butter, orange juice and vanilla in a small bowl until well blended.

~ Drizzle the orange glaze over the cooled bars.

~ Cut into 8 large bars or 16 small bars.

~ Garnish the center of each bar with a fresh mint leaf and a fresh raspberry.

Recipe Sources: To Die For Recipes & The Recipe Critic