Sunday, March 1, 2009

Apricot oatmeal bars

One of the things I enjoy most about being a mom is cooking favorite meals and baking special treats. The following recipe is for one of my son's favorite snacks, and mine as well. He loves it as an after-school snack, or for a treat in his lunch box. I like it anytime!

The recipe is from Williams Sonoma's "The Kid's Cookbook" which is full of wonderful recipes that are easy to prepare and pleasing to kids and adults.


If you make these oatmeal bars, you just won't believe how fantastic your house will smell when they're in the oven!

Here's the recipe:

1 1/2 sticks butter (3/4 cup), melted and cooled to room temperature
2 teaspoons soft butter for greasing foil
1 cup firmly packed dried apricots
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned quick-cooking rolled oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 350F. Line the bottom and sides of a 8 or 9-inch square baking pan with foil extending over the edges. Grease the foil with butter (bottom and sides).

Chop apricots into 1/2-inches, approximately.

In a mixing bowl, combine rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. Mix until well blended and no lumps of sugar remain.

Add the chopped apricots, melted butter, and vanilla to the bowl. Stir until well blended. The dough will be moist and crumbly. Dump the dough into the buttered pan and press very tightly with your fingers.

Bake until golden brown, approximately 35 minutes. Cool completely, then lift the foil from the pan and peel it from the bottom and sides. Cut into squares or rectangles.




I have a few on hand and I'll be sharing them with my family in just a bit. I hope you get to try them soon and enjoy them with your sweet blessings!

:)

19 comments:

RoyalTLady said...

TTWM

Thank you for sharing. I shall try this. Should be very delicious!

Jess said...

Sounds great..

Hope all is well and that you have a great new week

Happy Sunday

Love, Jess

Mother Mayhem said...

Sounds and looks scrumptious! :o)

Anonymous said...

Sounds very good!

The Victorian Parlor said...

Yummm! I will definately have to try these. I think they would be wonderful with a pot of Apricot tea:)

Have a blessed week:)

Nanette said...

These sound so good. I used to love having brownies or something I had baked ready when the kids came home from school. They would have their snack and do their homework. Fun times!
Valerie

Diane@Diane's Place said...

Mmm....those look and sound so good! I'll bet they are too. :o)

Hope you have a good new week, Melody.

Hugs,

Diane

Elizabethd said...

They look a little like what we in UK call Flapjacks, made with oats, brown sugar and butter.

Elena said...

Those look so yummy! Apricots are one my favorite fruits.

Unknown said...

These look so delicious! I love trying new recipes and cooking for my family too. I will have to give this recipe a try for sure!

Raise Them Up said...

Mmmm! They look really good!

Eggs In My Pocket said...

These sound so delicious! Thanks for sharing. Blessings,Kathleen

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Oh, Yum! I wish you could pass one through the computer screen!

XO,

Sheila:-)

Lakeville Vertical said...

Thanks for stopping over at my blog. Hopefully I'll have happier things to post about in the days ahead. You have a lovely blog and I love your tea room. :)

Lib said...

Hi,
Sounds yummy!
Trying to catch up on my visits.
Have a great wk.
Blessins',Lib

Lib said...

Hi,
Hope all's well with you.
I'm up and running again, trying to catch up on my visits.
Have a great day!
Blessins',Lib

Miss Janice said...

These sound delish! and, I love your chicken pot pie recipe and display of the finished product!

Lib said...

THose look yummy!
Hope you're doing good.
Have a great wk.end!
Blessins',Lib

Toodlebugz said...

These look really yummy.I think we might have to try another one of your recipes.