Cherry Upside Down Dessert

This is SO good.....I did change up the recipe just a bit....I used Wilderness Sugar Free Cherry Pie filling and it just looked like it was more juice than cherries so I added a can of unsweetened Tart Cherries in water that I drained first.  This just added more cherries to the pie filling and only added 6 calories to the dessert because I cut my 9 x 9 inch dessert into 9 servings instead of the 8 that Joanna cut hers. 

This is the cast of characters....almond extract, sugar-free cherry pie filling, reduced-calorie margarine, Heart Smart Bisquick mix, Splenda granular, fat-free half and half and slivered almonds...yum, yum....

It even made a very pretty dish before I baked it.

but once it came out of the oven and had that golden color, I wanted to dive in and eat it right then...I refrained and saved it for supper...Bill was in heaven, as cherries are his favorite fruit!

I will be remembering this dessert when I have to take something to a fish fry or BBQ....

Cherry Upside-Down Dessert

Serves 9

1 1/2 tsp. almond extract *

1 (20-ounce) can sugar-free cherry pie filling (I used Wilderness)

1 (20-ounce) can Tart Cherries in water, drained

1/4 cup reduced-calorie margarine * (I used Smart Balance)

1 1/2 cups reduced-fat biscuit baking mix (I used Heart Smart Bisquick)

3/4 cup Splenda Granular (if you use Splenda Blend, I think you could cut it down to 1/2 cup)

2/3 cup fat-free half & half

1/4 cup slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9 x 9 inch baking dish with butter-flavored cooking spray.  In medium bowl combine cherry pie filling, drained tart cherries and 1/2 tsp. almond extract.  Evenly spoon into prepared baking dish.  Drop 4 tsp. margarine by 1/2 teaspoonful evenly over cherry-pie-filling mixture. In a large bowl, combine baking mix and Splenda. Add half & half, remaining 2 Tbs + 2 tsp. margarine and remaining 1 tsp. almond extract. Mix gently to combine. Spoon batter evenly over top. Sprinkle almonds evenly over all. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes. Plan pan on a wire rack and let set for at least 10 minutes. Divide into 9 servings.

189 calories, 7g fat, 3g Protein, 27g Carbohydrates, 366 mg Sodium, 53mg Calcium, 2g Fiber