Fruity Chocolate Oat Bars Food

CHEWY FRUIT & OATMEAL BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F degrees.
• In large bowl, combine sugars, yogurt, egg whites, oil, milk, and vanilla; mix well.
• In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; mix well.
• Add to yogurt mixture; mix well.
• Stir in oats and fruit.
• Spread dough onto bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch baking pan.
• Bake 28-32 minutes or until light golden brown.
• Cool completely on wire rack.
• Cut into bars.
• Store tightly covered.

OATMEAL-FRUIT-NUT BARS (FROM SARA SNOW)

Steps:

• Stir together dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda and spices).
• In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugars. Add in honey, eggs and vanilla. Slowly add in dry mixture and beat together. Stir in oats, applesauce, coconut, fruit and nuts.
• Drop spoonfuls onto baking sheet; bake 12-14 minutes at 350.
• OR, if making bars,.
• Spread evenly into a large, glass baking pan; bake 20-25 minutes.

FRUITY CHOCOLATE-OAT BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch square pan.
• Mix flour, 1/2 cup butter, and sugar together until combined. Spread over the bottom of the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until light golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Mix preserves and chocolate chips in a bowl.
• Combine honey and 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir until melted. Stir in oats and almonds.
• Spread preserve mixture on top of the partially baked crust, then top with the oat mixture. Bake until lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool before cutting into bars.

CHEWY FRUIT AND OATMEAL BARS (BREAKFAST ON THE GO!)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F
• In large bowl combine sugars, yogurt,egg whites, oil, milk and vanilla; mix well.
• In medium bowl combine flour baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well.
• Add dry ingredients to wet mix; mix well.
• Stir in oats and dried fruit.
• Spread dough onto bottom of ungreased 13x9 baking pan.
• Bake 28-32 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool completely on wire rack.
• Cut into bars.
• Store tightly covered.

FRUIT-FILLED OATMEAL BARS

Steps:

• In mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, and baking soda.
• Cut in margarine/butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Reserve 1/2 cup of the flour mixture.
• Press remaining flour mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 9x9x2 baking pan.
• Spread with desired filling.
• Sprinkle with reserved flour mixture.
• Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden.
• Cool in pan on wire rack.
• Cut into bars.
• FILLING OPTIONS:.
• ***Following cookbook's 'shortcut' suggestion of substituting 10 oz jar of preserves in place of homemade filling, I used a store-bought, very dense, low-moisture apple butter (like a thick jam). I have also tried it with blueberry preserves but the preserves were too moist--it made the bars sticky not good.***.
• RAISIN FILLING:.
• In medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup water, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Add 1 cup raisins. Cook & stir until thickened & bubbly.
• APPLE-CINNAMON FILLING:.
• Peel/core/chop 2 medium apples. In medium saucepan, combine apples, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and a dash of ground cloves. Bring apple mixture to a boil; reduce heat & simmer 8-10 minutes or until apples are very tender.
• APRICOT-COCONUT FILLING:.
• In medium saucepan, combine 1 cup diced dried apricots and 3/4 cup water. Bring apricot mixture to boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon all purpose flour. Stir into apricot mixture. Cook and stir 1 minute more or until mixture is very thick. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut.

CHOCOLATE-OAT BARS

Steps:

• Heat chocolate chips and milk in 1-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth; set aside. Heat oven to 350°. Spray square pan, 8x8x2 or 9x9x2 inches, with cooking spray.
• Mix flour, 1/2 cup oats, the baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl; set aside. Stir brown sugar, oil, vanilla and egg product in medium bowl with fork until smooth; stir into flour mixture until blended. Reserve 1/2 cup dough in small bowl for topping.
• Pat remaining dough in pan (spray fingers with cooking spray or lightly flour if dough is sticky). Spread chocolate mixture over dough. Add 2 tablespoons oats and the butter to reserved dough; mix with pastry blender or fork until crumbly. Drop small spoonfuls of oat mixture evenly over chocolate mixture.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until top is golden and firm. Cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours. For bars, cut into 4 rows by 4 rows.