3/4 c. butter
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour

FILLING:

12 oz. cream cheese
1/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
3/4 tsp. vanilla

TOPPING:

1 tsp. cinnamon
4 to 5 c. apples, peeled & longitudinally sliced
1/4 c. shredded almonds or walnuts

Let eggs, butter, cream cheese come to room temperature. Peel and slice apples. Shake cinnamon onto apples in a bowl. Toss. Let stand. Separate egg whites and beat until foamy and stiff.

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla. Blend in flour, using fingers. Crust should not be crumbly. Make 2 balls out of crust. Separate the sides from the bottom of a spring pan. Flatten one ball onto bottom of a spring pan using your fingers. Put bottom into refrigerator.

Press the second ball along the sides of the latched spring pan. refrigerate. Combine cream cheese and sugar for filling. Mix well. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Fold in egg whites. Combine the 2 pieces of the spring pan and pour topping into crust. Place the apples vertically into topping; standing apples up as if they were soldiers. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, then at 400 degrees for 45 minutes.