A Table Tidbit

Yeah, yeah, I already posted from the table today. But I'm getting some requests for a recipe I just tried, and this is an obvious place to post it!

It was my coworker's birthday celebration today. Most of you probably know that I worked in a bakery in my previous career, and somehow because of that, over the years I've become the designated treat-baker when staff birthdays roll around. And for hers, Colleen asked for Raspberry Oatmeal Bars, surprisingly something I'd never made before! After looking at several recipes, I settled on the one below.

Raspberry Oatmeal Bars
from allrecipes.com via doughseedough.net

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup instant oatmeal
1/2 cup butter, softened3/4 cup raspberry jam
***1 cup fresh raspberries (my addition)*** 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 8 inch square pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. 
2. Combine brown sugar, flour, baking soda, and oatmeal. Rub in butter with your fingers until crumbly. Press 3/4 of mixture into bottom of pan. 
3. Warm jam up slightly in microwave. ***Add fresh raspberries and mash them lightly.*** Spread over crumb layer in pan. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture on top, gently pressing into the jam. 
4. Bake for 35 minutes in oven, or until lightly browned. Let cool before cutting into squares. (Recipe can easily be doubled to fit a 9x13" pan.)

Kind of humble looking, but super easy to put together, and they got rave reviews at work today. And that Colleen? Well she happily took the rest of the pan home.