Squash Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients

• 9 low-fat graham crackers (4 1/2 ounces)
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking or steel-cut)
• 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup sugar, divided
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons nonfat milk
• 8 ounces nonfat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), at room temperature
• 1/2 cup squash puree
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray

Process graham crackers, oats, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 cup flour and butter in a food processor until finely ground. Add milk; pulse until completely moistened.

Transfer the graham cracker mixture to the prepared pan and evenly pat into the bottom. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, reduce oven temperature to 325°. Beat both cream cheeses and the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy, scraping down the sides occasionally. Beat in squash puree until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Finally, beat in vanilla, cinnamon, salt and the remaining 3 tablespoons flour. Scrape the filling into the pan, spreading evenly over the crust.

Bake until set and the edges are light brown, about 35 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting into bars.

To make your own squash puree, halve and seed one medium acorn or butternut squash. Place, cut-side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven until soft, about 50 minutes. Cool, then scrape out the flesh with a fork. Or simply use frozen (thawed) or canned squash puree. Find frozen squash puree near other vegetables in the freezer section and canned squash near the canned pumpkin.