Recipe: Banana Split Cheesecake Bars

BANANA SPLIT CHEESECAKE BARS

FOR THE CRUST:
14 graham crackers, crushed
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup sugar
FOR THE FILLING:
24 ounces cream cheese, softened (three 8-ounce packages)
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1/2 cup mashed banana
FOR THE TOPPING:
1 cup strawberries, halved
1 banana, sliced
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 (8 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

TO MAKE THE CRUST:
Mix crushed graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar. Press onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking pan.

TO MAKE THE FILLING:
Mix cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs; mix until blended. Stir in banana. Pour into crust.

Bake at 350F degrees for 30 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING AND SERVE:
Mix banana with lemon juice. Top the cheesecake with strawberries, banana and pineapple. Sprinkle with nuts and drizzle with melted chocolate, if desired. Cut into bars.

Servings: 18
Source: Kraft