sowing some oats

Oddly enough,  I've been doing more baking now than I did during the Christmas holiday season.  Call it a baker's version of sowing my oats.  There are more cookies, squares, sweets in the house than I know what to do with.

I think this past year was my year to rebel...kinda.  Switch things up a little and do things I usually don't do.  Usually I bake quite a bit at Christmas...I didn't do that much.  Usually I start cutting back on the sweets in the New Year...nope.

Guilt begins in the New Year for eating too much over Christmas....well, not quite.  Just delayed guilt.  So, thought I'd make something a tad healthier...that I can put in the kids lunches, and have a little left over for me to enjoy...with slightly less guilt.

Cranberry Fig Oat Squares

(adapted from Allrecipes)

Ingredients

Crust 

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups organic rolled oats
• 1 cup brown sugar,
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda

Filling

• 1 3/4 cups of Cranberry Fig Sauce (found here) or a 14 oz can of cranberry sauce.

Preparation

• Mix all the crust ingredients in a large bowl until crumbly.  Press approximately 2 1/2 cups of it into a greased 9x9 baking pan.
• Spread cranberry sauce evenly over the crust.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups of oat mixture evenly over the filling, and press gently.
• Bake in oven for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.
• Let stand in pan until cool.
• Cut in 24-36 squares.

Enjoy.