Raspberry Walnut Bars

Welp, I love these.  Simple as that folks.  Aside from just being crazy stupid easy to make, they involve raspberry jam.  So obviously.

Just look at that vibrant jam!  Like a brushstroke of paint on a canvas of butter and oats and flour.  Be still my heart.  I should be a poet.  I have such a way with words and stuff.

And check out how super crafty I am.  These Raspberry Walnut Bars are just these Apricot Oat Bars in disguise.  So sneaky!  I should be a sleuth.  I have such a way with being sneaky and stuff.  

  

Speaking of being sneaky, you could probably pass these off as "breakfast" bars since there's fruit and fruit equals health.  Or you could pass these off as dessert because they're buttery and sweet.  Or you could pass these off as second lunch because that's a thing I just made up.  I have such a way of making stuff up and stuff.  

Here's the recipe!  

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 packed cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 3/4 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling
1 1/4 cups raspberry jam or preserves
1/2 pint fresh raspberries
1 Tbsp water (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 by 13 by 2-inch pan with cooking spray, set aside.
2. Prepare the filling in a small bowl. Mix together the jam and raspberries. If the jam needs help to loosen, add the water. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Stir in the oats and walnuts to combine. Add the butter, egg and vanilla and stir until all dry ingredients are moistened.
4. Lightly press half of the crust mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan to make an even layer. Using a spatula, spread the filling over the crust. Cover the filling with the remaining crust mixture and gently press to flatten. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.


Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Giada DeLaurentiis
 

Strawberry Blackberry Crumble Bar

Uuuggh, being an adult is hard work!  My childhood lied to me!  I was made to believe that adulthood is living with your friends above a coffee house.  It's means having "ugly naked guy" as a neighbor.  It means always having perfect hair.  It means having a gigantic apartment with purple walls.  Ok, I watched a lot of Friends growing up.   

Nonetheless, I was misled.  I live next to a coffee place but there's not even a couch there.  All of my neighbors keep their shades closed.  My walls are brown.  My hair is always perfect though...   What I'm saying is, I intended to write a post days ago and being an adult got in the way.  Work and cleaning and watching Seinfeld.  Seinfeld doesn't just watch itself!  

So here I am, writing at 10:38pm when I should certainly be getting some sleep or at least watching Netflix.  I guess this is what being an adult is all about.  It's about having dirty dishes in the sink and unexplained pain in your feet and going to bed at 10pm and shaking your fists at noisy teenagers.

You're probably wondering how this Strawberry Blackberry Crumble Bar relates to adulthood?  It doesn't really but this blog is a one-way street so get over it.  Being that strawberries are in season and this bar is delightfully light and sweet, making it might solve all the problems in your world.  It solved mine.  Most of them.  I still don't know why my feet hurt.  

Here's the recipe!  

Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
zest from one lemon
Filling
2 Tbsp lemon juice
4 cups strawberries/blackberries (whatever proportions your prefer)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
4 tsp cornstarch

Instructions:
1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and grease a 9x13 inch pan.  Set aside. 
2.  For the crust, in a medium bow, stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups of flour, and 1 tsp baking powder.  Mix in salt and lemon zest.  Using a pastry cutter or fork, blend in egg and butter.  This dough will be loose and crumbly.  Press half of the dough into the pan to form the crust.  
3.  In another bowl, stir together 2/3 cups sugar, lemon juice, and corn starch.  Fold in strawberries and blackberries.  Spread the berries over the crust evenly.  Crumble remaining dough over the top of the berries.  
4.  Bake for 45 minutes until top is lightly brown.  Cool completely before cutting into bars.  Makes up to 24 bars.  

Recipe adapted from Baker Chick

Jam and Oatmeal Bars

So every Saturday in spring and summer, I go to the Farmer's Market down the block.  It's my "thing."  I get cranky if I can't go.  It's just such a perfect way to start a weekend.  I browse the beautiful produce, handmade soups and lotions, and cool jewelry.  Then I grab a latte and The Onion and everything is right in the world and my possibilities are endless.  

But what I don't tell people is that I don't actually buy any of the produce or lotions or soaps.  I go there for one thing and one thing only.  Pastries.  PASTRIES.  The same vendor is there every week and they sell the best scones and cinnamon rolls and breads.  So I let my heart decide which pastry speaks to me that morning and then I pretend that I'm not about to consume 1,000 calories in the form of a mixed berry scone.  It's fine.    

So this last week I decided to get a blueberry danish.  And it was just terrible.  NOT.  It was heavenly.  My life would be easier if it was terrible.  Then I wouldn't eat danishes and I'd have the abs of an athlete and I'd run marathons.  But I guess SOMEONE has to eat the danishes of the world, right?  You're welcome Denmark.  

But if you're not in the mood for a 1,000 calorie breakfast and a food coma, these Jam and Oatmeal bars are a nice alternative.  There's some buttery goodness and some fruity sweetness.  Plus, and don't freak out, these are major shortcut bars.  With cake mix, jarred  jam, and butter, they're a breeze to whip up.  Sorry Denmark.  

Jam and Oatmeal Bars

Ingredients:
1 (18.25 oz) package yellow cake mix
2 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup jam (any flavor)
1 Tbsp water (if needed)

1.  Preheat oven to 375 F and grease a 9"x13" pan.  
2.  In a large bowl, mix together cake mix, oatmeal and butter so there is no dry mix left.  Press about half the dough into the pan to form the crust. 
3.  If your jam is thick, mix with tablespoon of water to thin.  Then spread evenly over crust.  Sprinkle remaining dough over the top by dropping clumps to evenly coat.
4.  Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes or until top is lightly browned.  Cool completely before cutting into bars.  

Enjoy!

Whopper Blondie Bars

Hey, remember the last time you ate some Whoppers? Yeah, me either. No one does. Nobody at all. So when I saw this recipe for the first time, I thought to myself, "Yeah but where's the peanut butter? Or caramel? Or peanut butter?" And I think that's how most people feel about Whoopers too. Who cares about malt and where's the good stuff?!

It turns out, the good stuff happens when you put some Whoppers in the oven with some flour, sugar, and butter. It's magical. The malted center lends to a wonderful....maltiness? The bars take on an almost toffee-like flavor with a slightly chewy texture. The lowly Whopper finally has its day!

The original recipe for these bars calls for malted milk powder, which I didn't have on hand. And when I say "didn't have on hand" I mean "I have no idea where to find that and I'm kinda lazy." I decided to give it a try without the powder because life is all about taking risks guys. I definitely loved these bars even without the malted milk powder but I would imagine the powder would add even more malty depth and caramel-y flavor. Mmmmm... depth.

Do Whoppers a favor and make these beauties. Here's the recipe:

Whopper Blondie Bars (yields 18-24 bars)

Ingredients

2 1/3 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsps baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 sticks (14 Tbsps) unsalted butter, room temperature, and cut into cubes

1 3/4 cups packed dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsps vanilla extract

1 cup of Whoppers, coarsely chopped

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

2 Tbsps malted milk powder (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Grease a 9"x13" pan with cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk your dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt and (optional) malted milk powder

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium until combined. Scrape the bowl and add eggs and vanilla and beat again until completely combined.

4. On low speed, slowly add the flour mixture and beat until combined. Add in the Whooper and chocolate chips and mix on low until evenly incorporated. The batter is thick and somewhat sticky.

5. Turn batter into the prepared pan and press evenly into the pan. It helps to dip your fingertips in water combat the stickiness.

6. Bake 25-30 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

7. Let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting and serving.

Yum!

recipe adapted from Smells Like Home