Granola Jam Bars

We’ve made lots of cookies during our nephew’s visit, including these jam bars. Mason West said, “They taste kind of like granola bars so we added to the original "jam bars" name.” Barry doesn't care what we call them as long as we keep making them!

Mason West mixing up a batch of Granola Jam Bars

The recipe harks back to my days of teaching when companies like Quaker Oats used t\to provide educational materials including student (and teacher) cookbooks. 

The Quaker Oats Wholegrain Cookbook was first published in September, 1978 and is full of delicious recipes that I have made since the late 1970s. 

Granola Jam Bars Makes 13x9-inch pan of of squares

2 cups Quaker rolled oats (quick or old fashioned), uncooked

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped nuts (we prefer either walnuts or pecans)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup preserves (we especially like peach and raspberry)

1. Combine all ingredients except preserves in large mixing bowl; beat at low speed on electric mixer until mixture is crumbly. Reserve 2 cups mixture. Press remaining mixture into bottom of greased or sprayed 13x9-inch baking pan (we lined the pan with foil that overhung each end for easy removal; we sprayed the foil which was placed dull side down so that it would absorb rather than reflect heat.)
2. Spread preserves evenly over base and then sprinkle with reserved oat mixture.
3. Bake in PREHEATED hot oven (400° F) 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Cool; cut into squares. 

Variations: Omit nuts in oat mixture; add 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon cloves to oat mixture. Substitute 1 cup applesauce combined with ¾ cup raisins & ½ cup chopped nuts for preserves.

Marbleized Carrot Cake Bars

Just in time for Easter — Carrot cake bars that incorporate the frosting into the cookies! Softened cream cheese mixture is swirled through a carrot cake-like base for an attractive and tasty treat. 

We sprinkled the finished and cut bars with a light dusting of powdered sugar. 

Marbleized Carrot Cake Bars     Makes a 7x11-inch pan

For the bar base:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 cup brown sugar + 2 tablespoons, packed 

1 egg

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup finely grated  carrots (finely grated, about 1/8-inch shreds)

For the filling:

4 oz cream cheese @ room temperature

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg yolk

3/4 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.; spray or grease a 7x11-inch baking pan with butter or cooking spray. (For easy removal, line pan with foil or parchment that overlaps the ends; spray that with pan release.)
2. Melt the butter in the microwave (about 30-45 seconds) and pour it into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the brown sugar until combined, then add the egg and 1 tbsp vanilla, mixing until smooth. 
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. 
   
   
   
4. Fold the dry mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined, then gently fold in the grated carrots. (This is done by hand to avoid overmixing that can make the bars tough.).
5. In a separate mixer bowl, beat the room-temperature cream cheese with the sugar until smooth and creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the egg yolk and 3/4 tsp vanilla, stirring until fully combined. The mixture should be thick and spreadable. 
6. Spread half of the carrot cake batter evenly into the prepared pan. 
7. Dollop half of the cream cheese mixture over the batter in small dots across the surface — leave in dollops. 
8. Cover with the remaining carrot cake batter, spreading gently to seal some of the cream cheese filling inside. Dollop the remaining cream cheese mixture in dots over the top layer.

   

   Our nephew Mason West dollops the cream cheese mixture into the cake batter.

   
   
9.  Using a thin knife or skewer, gently swirl through the batters in a figure-eight or zigzag pattern to create the classic marbled effect. 
   
10. 
    

    

    
    
11. Bake in the preheated 350°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until the carrot cake is set and a toothpick inserted into the carrot portion (avoiding the cream cheese) comes out with just a few moist crumbs. The cream cheese swirl may still look slightly underbaked, which is fine. Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting. It also helps to make clean cuts if the bars have been refrigerated. A sharp knife also helps with a clean cut.
12. Store in the refrigerator. 

Recipe without photos . . .  Marbleized Carrot Cake Bars     Makes a 7x11-inch pan

For the bar base:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 cup brown sugar + 2 tablespoons, packed 

1 egg

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup finely grated  carrots (finely grated, about 1/8-inch shreds)

For the filling:

4 oz cream cheese @ room temperature

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg yolk

3/4 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.; spray or grease a 7x11-inch baking pan with butter or cooking spray. (For easy removal, line pan with foil or parchment that overlaps the ends; spray that with pan release.)
2. Melt the butter in the microwave (about 30-45 seconds) and pour it into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the brown sugar until combined, then add the egg and 1 tbsp vanilla, mixing until smooth. 
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Fold the dry mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined, then gently fold in the grated carrots. (This is done by hand to avoid overmixing that can make the bars tough.).
4. In a separate mixer bowl, beat the room-temperature cream cheese with the sugar until smooth and creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the egg yolk and 3/4 tsp vanilla, stirring until fully combined. The mixture should be thick and spreadable. 
5. Spread half of the carrot cake batter evenly into the prepared pan. 
6. Dollop half of the cream cheese mixture over the batter in small dots across the surface — leave in dollops. 
7. Cover with the remaining carrot cake batter, spreading gently to seal some of the cream cheese filling inside. Dollop the remaining cream cheese mixture in dots over the top layer. Using a thin knife or skewer, gently swirl through the batters in a figure-eight or zigzag pattern to create the classic marbled effect. 
8. Bake in the preheated 350°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until the carrot cake is set and a toothpick inserted into the carrot portion (avoiding the cream cheese) comes out with just a few moist crumbs. The cream cheese swirl may still look slightly underbaked, which is fine. Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting. It also helps to make clean cuts if the bars have been refrigerated. A sharp knife also helps with a clean cut.
9. Store in the refrigerator.