Something Yummy For Your Tummy

Today was a day for a treat! I came across this recipe some how, but now that I'm mentioning it, I can't remember! It is a recipe that originally comes from the Smuckers company, but since I tweaked it a bit, it is now half mine. I'm sure you know how it goes... Oh, that looks good, but what if I add some of this, and that, and oh, yes, some of that. I'm famous for turning a recipe into a mere launching point for what I actually make.
















Raspberry Jam Bars

Ingredients:

•	1/2 cup butter, softened
•	1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
•	1/2 teaspoon almond extract
•	1 cup All Purpose Flour
•	1 teaspoon baking powder
•	1 cup rolled oats, old fashioned
•	1/2 cup Raspberry Preserves (I used seedless) 1/tsp. cinnamon 1/3 cup Pecans, finely chopped

Directions:

1	HEAT oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
2	BEAT butter and brown sugar in medium bowl until smooth and fluffy. Beat in extract. Mix in all other dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly. Reserve 1/2-cup for topping. Pat remaining crumbs into bottom of prepared pan.
3	SPOON preserves evenly over crumb crust in pan. Sprinkle with reserved crumb topping.
4	BAKE 30 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack. Cut into bars.

I actually doubled this recipe and put it in a 9 X11 glass baking dish and it worked just fine. I didn't have to increase the baking time at all or decrease the temperature.
(When I make something like this I like to have enough for a couple of days, so an 8x8 doesn't work for us.)
They tasted really yummy and we'll definitely make them again. I think next time I'm going to experiment with using apple butter and grated fresh apple instead of the preserves. If its a success maybe I'll remember to post about it here too!