Apple Pie Bars

I have always loved the idea of apple pie. Rolling out the pastry dough, using fresh in-season local apples, the enticing aroma of apples and cinnamon baking. However, I have encountered a few issues with pies before, not particularly apple, but others as well. The first problem is the crust. As good as they seem, I'm actually not a big fan of pie crusts. They don't tend to have a lot of flavor, and they are only nice and flaky if they are made perfectly. They aren't meant to be the star of any pie, and for something that really only holds the filling, it sure packs in a lot of fat and calories. This is because they are usually made with a large amount of shortening or old-fashioned lard. The rest of it is simply white flour, and a touch of salt, sugar, and water. In our house, we prefer shortbread or graham cracker or chocolate crusts. But none of those seem to fit that well with an apple pie.
I came across this recipe for apple pie bars in a cooking magazine I recently received. These bars seemed easier and more convenient than a full apple pie, and the crust seemed better too. It is a crust made with butter and cream cheese. I have made these pastry crusts before, and they always turn out nice and tender and tasty. I also find them easier to make and work with. Once the crust is ready, and the prep work of peeling and slicing the apples is done, these bars are pretty easy. The dough is a bit tedious to roll out, but it will give you a bit of a workout. Add some cinnamon, and sugar, and put them together. Bake em up, and dig in.  
These bars are very good. Reminiscent of apple pie, but even better. The recipe calls for a simple icing of icing sugar and water, but I didn't bother with that, because they really don't need it. You could serve them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if you like, but they really don't need anything. This recipe also makes a nice big batch - a 10x15 inch jelly-roll pan full. It could easily be halved, but why would you want to?