Extra Jam Hanging Out, Try Oatmeal Jam Squares, Soooo Good!

If you, like me, have someone in your household who always leaves a jam half eaten then moves on to another one and another one, it can get very annoying, yes, my husband is the one here. It is not only jam it is anything in a jar, can be left half full or with a teaspoon, doesn't matter, and no amount of giving him what for has helped. So next best thing, find a recipe and use it up!!

This simple oatmeal bar/square is something I make when jams are hanging around, a bar I can make, a fancy cookie or cake, forget it, sooo many bars are made in my house. One of my fav ways to have some is crumbled in plain greek yogurt, just a little goes a long way and kicks the yogurt up two notches in my opinion!!

Note: these are easier to cut and hold together better if kept in fridge, your kitchen up to you!!

There are lots of oatmeal bar recipes out there, and through the years I have taken the basics and just tweaked here and there to my liking. I prefer the cold butter crumble crusts because sometimes I want to make them on a whim and softening butter is a pain in the butt. Just my preference.

Oven temp 350, Baking time: about 30 minutes

The basic recipe calls for:

1 1/2 cups oatmeal

1 1/2 cups flour of choice

3/4 cup brown sugar of choice, dark or light works

1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

1 stick and 2 tablespoons of butter, diced

Jam or marmalade of choice, about a cup to cup and 1/4

Note: I have on many occasions mixed 2 different jams or marmalades etc. together to get the amount I needed, from the half used and left jars!! I have also used some shredded coconut in the crust/crumble mixture at times...

Mix together first 6 ingredients

Cut in butter until incorporated into the dry mix and butter is in pea size pieces

Spray an 8x8 pan well (can also use a 9x9 pan, but watch time)

Pat half the crumb mixture into your pan well keeping same thickness if possible

Top with a thin layer of jam or marmalade spread evenly, leaving 1/4 inch from sides of pan TIP: room temp jam spreads much easier then right out of fridge

Spread the rest of the crumb mixture on the jam, press down lightly

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until golden brown, do not overbake!!

Cool, cut in squares