Filled Crunch Bars

I can not wait until this Saturday!  This weekend is Parents Weekend at The Citadel, and we are driving down to see our Cadet!  I have seen Ben just once since he left for school at the beginning of August, and I really need a Ben hug.  As always, when either he comes home or we drive to Charleston, I do lots of baking so that Ben can have a box of homemade treats to keep in his room.

I found this recipe in my Betty Crocker Christmas Cookbook. It originally called for chocolate chips and melted caramels.  I have the chips, but not the caramels!  So, as I often do, I thought through what I did have to use, and saw a jar of figgy-plum jam that I made awhile back.  I used it in between the layers of crunchy cookie mix.  The result was an amazing treat!

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. whole wheat flour

3 c. quick-cooking oats

1-1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1-1/2 c. margarine or butter, melted

3/4 tsp. baking soda

3/8 tsp. salt

about 1 cup of soft jam

Mix flour, oats, brown sugar, butter, baking soda and salt. Stir it well so that all ingredients are coated with the melted butter.  Press half of the mixture in an ungreased 13×9 baking pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Spread a generous layer of soft jam all over the baked bottom layer.

Sprinkle the  remaining cookie mixture on top of the jam and pat it firmly.  Bake until light brown, about 15 minutes.  Cool on wire rack.  Cut into 2×1 inch bars.  Try a piece warm with a glass of cold milk! Yummy!

*Update on this recipe:  Ben and his buddies absolutely love this recipe! They now refer to it as Kilo Crunch Bars. I’ve lost count of the number of times I have made it! It is great with a wide variety of jam flavors. I’ve used blueberry, blackberry, and a berry/fig…all to raving reviews!!  (03/2013)