Melody's Cherry Squares

I made this recipe for our Family Reunion this past July. Everyone was asking for the recipe and it was gone before we even finished lunch.

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 16

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 lb margarine (2 sticks)
• 1  cup sugar
• 2  eggs
• 2  cups flour
• 1  teaspoon vanilla flavoring or 1  teaspoon  almond flavoring
• 1  cup  chopped walnuts
• 2 (12 ounce) cans cherry pie filling
• 1 (4 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, cherries- (optional)

Directions

1. Combine both sticks of soft margarine and 1 cup of sugar. Blend well with a fork. Do not use melted butter. The cake mixture will not bake correctly.
2. Add 2 eggs and beat well.
3. Add 2 cups flour and 1 tsp of vanilla and stir until blended.
4. Place three-quarters of the batter into a well-greased and floured 13”x 9” pan.
5. You will have to spread the mixture with a floured hand or wet spoon if it's too sticky to work with.
6. Spread both cans of cherry pie filling on top of batter.
7. Drop remaining batter over filling in dabs. Sprinkle either walnuts or pecans over the top.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until batter is done. I had to bake mine the first time about 20 minutes longer.
9. After they are cooled, you can cut them into any size squares and top each one with a maraschino cherry.