Cherry Bars

1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 cans cherry pie filling -- 21 ounces each
GLAZE:
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons milk

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the extracts. Combine flour and salt; add to the creamed mixture and mix until combined.,

Spread 3 cups batter into a greased 15 X 10 X 1 inch baking pan. Spread with the pie filling. Drop the remaining batter by teaspoonfuls over filling. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Combine the glaze ingredients; drizzle over bars.

Yield: 5 dozen


NOTES : These are wonderful. Whenever I have pie filling to spread on bars or a dessert, I use a food processor and pulse the cherries slightly to chop them so when you spread you have a more even distribution.