AMAZING Berry Oatmeal Bars

Here is a little warning.

Don't make these bars when you have no plans for them.

....that could end badly.

I wisely waited until we had a beach day planned, and made them to pack into a picnic lunch. I do admit I ate one as soon as there were cool.

I first had these when I visited my friend Summer, she had made a batch and I tried not to eat too many, but got the recipe and proceeded to go home, make a double batch, and eat them until I was sick.

Yeah, don't do that. It's not fun.

This recipe doubles well, just use a 9x13 pan instead of the 8x8. But DO NOT DOUBLE this recipe if you're not taking the bars somewhere. You'll end up where I was. <insert stomach-clutching groans here>

Ok, I'm not trying to state the obvious, but HOW DELICIOUS DO THESE BARS LOOK? And they ARE as delicious as they look!!!!!

You need:

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup berry jam (I used strawberry, but seedless raspberry is GOOD too!)

I was lucky enough to have this AWESOME strawberry jam, homemade from my friend Susan. Holy cow, this stuff is GOOD. I know because I ate a spoonful right out of the jar tasted it. Why is it that when other people make food it always tastes about 100 times better?

You want to put all of the ingredients except the jam into a mixing bowl and cut the butter in with a pastry blender, which is the gadget I am holding in this photo (where I have carefully hidden my toe thumb) If you don't have a pastry blender NO BIGGIE! You can use a fork and just press the butter in, or use your hands.

When the butter's all mixed in, it will look like coarse crumbs, like this.

Press 2 cups of the crumb mixture into a greased 8x8 pan

Then spread the jam on top

Then sprinkle the remaining crumb mix over the top of the jam. Press it lightly down into the jam. Then bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Your house will smell incredible.

Cool, then cut into bars. Yeah. These are good. Enjoy!!

I got this recipe from http://www.allrecipes.com/ via my friend Summer. :)