Home for th Holidays: Cream Cheese Brownies

Greetings and Happy Holidays! This will begin my holiday 2009 series. I wanted to try to give you some ideas that are inexpensive, delicious and easy. I also wanted to focus on what the holidays are all about. In our current economic situation, whatever yours may be, we are always able to share of ourselves with a gift that is made by our hands, be it , from the kitchen, sewing machine or workshop. Even in this age of electronic everything, we can put pen to paper and give a gift of the written word with our friends and loved ones. Today I am happy to share with you my cream cheese brownie recipe that I have been making for well over 20 years. Here is what you will need: 1 box of your favorite brownie mix, prepared according the the package directions to your preference. 1 8 ounce brick of cream cheese, softened 2 Tablespoons of butter, softened 1 Egg 1 can of Sweetened Condensed Milk (Not Evaporated Milk) 1 Tablespoon of Corn Starch (not corn meal) 1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Prepare your brownie mix and pour into a prepared 9 x 13 baking pan. With a mixer, blend together cream cheese and butter until combined, add egg and incorporate fully. Add the condensed milk and mix again. Add corn starch and vanilla and beat until the mixture is smooth and well blended. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the brownie batter and gently even out in pan with a rubber spatula. Taking a skewer or butter knife, run through the batter up and down then begin to swirl, do not swirl too much or …