I have found a wealth of bar cookie recipes on Allrecipes - almost every type imaginable. I was desperately googling last night as I was almost done with my BakingGALS package for my soldier in Iraq, except that I was a whole cake box layer short of cookies (the usual Molasses Cookies and Snickerdoodles that I make for the Troops).
Allrecipes to the rescue! - I selected Apricot Bars; they seemed easy and only required one more ingredient purchase, the dried apricots.
Today - they have just come out of the oven now and will fill out my package very nicely; of course, I will have an itsy, teeny taste to see if they taste as good as the recipe says.
Here it is:
Ingredients:
8 ounces dried apricots
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
water to cover 1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
2. Place apricots, lemon juice, white sugar in a small saucepan. Add enough water to just cover the apricots. Bring to a boil, and cook until fruit is soft. Chop coarsely.
3. Sift flour, oatmeal and brown sugar together. Melt butter or margarine over low heat and stir into flour mixture. Put 2/3 of this mixture into 8 x 8 inch greased pan. Spread apricot mixture over crust. Sprinkle remaining oatmeal mixture over apricots.
4. Bake for about 35 minutes.
Packaging time - I have had the itsy bitsy taste - they are very good; the apricot has a real tangy fruity flavor so that's good for people who don't like things too sweet; my own preference is for a bit sweeter. I hope the guys and gals will enjoy them.
