Easy Cherry Cheesecake Bars

Crust
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons cold butter (10 tablespoons or 5 ounces)
cut into small pieces
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup ground almonds
few drops almond flavoring

Fruit Filling
1 jar (16 to 18 ounces) cherry preserves
about 36 maraschino cherries, drained, halved

Cream Cheese Filling
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring

Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a food processor or with pastry blender, work crust ingredients
together just until it begin to stick together a bit. Press into
prepared pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned
around edge.

Let cool slightly in pan on a rack.

Prepare fruit filling. Mix preserves and cherries; spread over crust.

Make the cream cheese filling. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese
until light. Beat in sugar and eggs and flavoring until well blended.
Spread over the cherry layer. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.