Rhubarb Custard Bars

I found this recipe in the May 2002 of "Cooking Light" magazine and it tastes anything but light. The recipe is quite easy its just time consuming due to the 3 steps but it is so worth it! My family loved this, Enjoy!

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 20

Ingredients

• Crust

• 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 9  tablespoons  chilled butter, cut into small pieces
•  cooking spray

• Filling

• 1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 1 1⁄2 cups 1% low-fat milk
• 3  large eggs
• 5  cups rhubarb, 1/2 inch slices,fresh or frozen unthawed

• Topping

• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1 (4 ounce) package fat free cream cheese
• 1 (4 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese (I used 8oz light cream cheese)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1  cup  fat-free whipped topping, thawed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Think of this recipe as 3 seperate parts.
3. The instructions indicate crust, filling or topping.
4. To prepare crust, mix flour sugar and salt in a bowl.
5. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.
6. Press mixture into 9 x 13 pan coated with cooking spray.
7. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
8. My crust never got golden but I baked only for about 20 minutes.
9. To prepare filling, combine flour, sugar.
10. Add milk and eggs stirring with whisk until well blended.
11. Stir in rhubarb.
12. Pour mixture over crust.
13. Bake at 350 for 40 min.
14. or until set.
15. Cool to room temp.
16. To prepare topping, place sugar, cream cheese, and vanilla in bowl, beat with mixer at medium speed until smooth.
17. Gently fold in whipped topping.
18. Spread evenly over baked custard.
19. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.