Cheery Cheesecake Cookie Bars
Contributed by Diane S.

4 (1 oz., each) Hershey's Unsweetened Baking Chocolate, broken into pieces
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 1/2 cups sugar, divided
4 eggs
1 teasp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cup. (10 oz. pkg.) Hershey's mini kisses (milk choc. or semi-sweet)
  baking pieces, divided
1/2 cup chopped red or green maraschino cherries (optional)
1/2 teasp. almond extract
few drops red food coloring (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13 x 9 baking pan. Place baking
chocolate and butter in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on High 2-2 1/2
min., stirring after each minute until mixture is melted. Beat in 2 cups
sugar, 3 eggs and vanilla until blended. Stir in flour; spread batter in
prepared pan. Beat cream cheese, remaining 1/2 cup sugar and remaining 1
egg, stir in 1 1/4 cups mini kisses, cherries and almond extract. Add food
coloring, if desired. Drop by spoonsful over top of chocolate mixture in
pan. Bake 35-40 minutes or just until set. Remove from oven, immediately
sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup min ikisses over top. Cool completely in pan on
wire rack, cut into bars. Cover, refrigerate leftover bars. Makes 3 dozen
bars.

Recipe from Hershey's