Ingredients:
2 cups oatmeal
1 3/4 cups flour
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup jam (we used boysenberry)
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoons cloves
1/2 teaspoons allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400. Butter a 8 inch square baking dish. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. In a small bowl, combine the spices, oatmeal, walnuts and baking soda. Stir into butter mixture. Remove 2 cups of the mixture and using your fingers press it evenly into the bottom of the baking pan. Using a spoon, distribute the jam evenly over the oatmeal mixture. Crumble the remaining oatmeal mixture over the jam. Bake 25 minutes or until golden. Cool and with a very sharp knife, cut into squares.
My thoughts:
I have a confession. I like the idea of jam more than I actually like jam. While I buy jam (and jelly) all the time: boysenberry, cloudberry, blueberry, cranberry, raspberry even a jar of clear kudzu jelly while on a trip to the South, rarely do I eat it. I don’t like it on toast, on bread, in sandwiches or on biscuits. I do, however, like it in these oatmeal bars. Which, to me, is reason enough to make them.
In the newest Real Simple there is a recipe for cupcakes that look like the linzer torte cookies. Another delicious use for jam. I am with you about jam and jelly being better in theory than practice. I love the little jars and the deep jewel-toned colors.
It must be common: there’re always odd jars of jam lurking in the recesses of the frig, more waiting attention in the pantry. You could even use up several jams, spreading different ones in different areas. Fun!