Oatmeal Raspberry Bars

I first had these luscious treats at my friend Lisa’s house last summer.  They were unbelievably bakery fresh-tasting so I was thrilled when she told me they were homemade.  She shared the recipe with me and now, I am sharing it with you.

These are simple to make with supplies you probably have on hand (except perhaps the raspberry jam).  Today I made the crumb portion by hand (literally) but would like to try it in a food processor next time.  There is nothing tricky about the process but here are a few thoughts I will throw out there:

• If you use unsalted butter increase the salt (to at least ¼ teaspoon).  The crust should have a slightly salty taste.
• Don’t skip the part about lining the pan with parchment/foil.  This step makes it SO much easier to remove the bars from the pan before cutting.
• I like to use Polaner Fruit Spread (seedless raspberry) instead of traditional jam.  This makes for a less sweet bar which I prefer.  For those with sweet teeth, use regular jam and, if you want to gild the lily, drizzle the cooled bars with melted white chocolate.
• You can double the ingredients and bake in a 9”x13” baking pan.

These bars don’t photograph very well but they sure taste great.  Enjoy!