Fruit Oatmeal Bars

These make either a great brunch cake, a fabulous tea treat, an extra scrumptious granola bar, or a pretty healthy (pretend there isn't so much butter in it) dessert with ice cream. Talk about a versatile recipe!

It was requested that I put this recipe on here after I served it to a dear friend the other day! =0) So here ya go.....

3 c whole wheat pastry flour

3 c old fashioned oats

2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 c packed brown sugar

3 sticks refrigerated butter, cut into pieces

2 10 ounce jars Smuckers Simply Fruit jam

Mix all ingredients except jam. I used a pastry cutter to cut the butter in and then used my hands to blend it together well till it was crumbly. You could also try putting it in your mixer and it would probably work well. Press one half of the mixture into a buttered 9x13 glass pan. Spread with a jam. Sprinkle second half of mixture over the top and pat lightly. Bake at 350 for 30 - 40 minutes or until light brown. Cool completely (refrigerating works best), then cut into squares.

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Variations~

-you can cut this recipe in half and make in an 8 in. square pan.

-try different jams...in the pictures we used strawberry but you can make them apricot, blueberry, or blackberry....they are all fabulous!