Apple Pie Bars

For Filling:

4 Whole Apples, peeled and chopped coarsely
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 TB Lemon Juice
1 1/2 TB Cornstarch
1 TB Water

For Crust and Topping
3/4 cup Butter, Softened
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
2 cups All-purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 Walnuts or Pecans, Finely Chopped
1/4 tsp Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9-inch square pan or pie dish with cooking spray.

To Prepare apple pie filling, in a large pan combine the chopped apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until apples are tender. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and water. Add the cornstarch mixture to the apples and continue cooking, and stirring constantly until thickened, about two minutes. remove from heat and set aside to cool.

To make crust, beat butter on medium speed for about one minute. Add brown sugar and beat until fluffy, about an additional minute. Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed until blended but still crumbly. Reserve 1 cup of crumb mixture for the topping. Press remaining mixture unto the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake 15minutes until slightly browned around the edges. Remove from the oven.

Spread the apple filling evenly over the crust. Stir the chopped nuts and cinnamon into the reserved crumb mixture. Sprinkle over apple pie filling. Bake for another 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before cutting.

*Submitted by Suzanne