CHERRY CHEESECAKE DESSERT

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup flour
3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 (16 oz.) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 cans cherry pie filling

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, combine melted butter, flour and nuts.  Press into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown; cool completely.  With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and lemon juice until fluffy.  Fold in whipped topping.  Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over cooled crust.  Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.  Top with cherry pie filling and return to refrigerator until serving.

Let's Dish
I often make this dish for my husband on Canada Day.  Living in the U.S., I figure he needs a little something special to help commemorate the occasion. It's also one of his favorite desserts, and just happens to be red and white.  Of course, you could use other types of pie filling if you'd like.  It won't set up well if you use light or low-fat versions of either the cream cheese or the whipped topping, so I'm afraid you'll have to go all out on this one.  It never stops me from having a big slice though.

Who Dished It Up First
This recipe was given to my mom by a church friend.  She used to make it a lot growing up, back when all of us kids were still around to eat it.

You can check out the great Canada Day celebration put on by our local Whole Foods store here.