Blueberry Oatmeal Crumble Bars

Happy July 4th!!

Blueberries are abundant in New Jersey right now and are always in the top 10 list of healthy good for you food choices so I decided to be a little silly yesterday and turn the oven on to do some baking even though the temperature was in the 90s.  I promise not to do any baking on Saturday when it is supposed to be 104 degrees.  I can't complain. I wait for the summer to come all year long and do plenty of complaining in the cold winter months so I definitely can't complain. These are adapted from  http://sweetpeaskitchen.com. They are best served cold with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients:
4-1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1-1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
3/4 cup sugar
2-1/2 tbsp cornstarch

1-3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 cups old fashioned oats
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened and cubed
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray bottom and sides of a 12 x 14 or similar size baking pan with baking spray.  Put a long piece of parchment paper in bottom of the pan letting sides hang over the pan for easy bar removal.  Spray baking spray on parchment paper also.

Rinse and dry blueberries.  In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook blueberries, lemon juice and lemon zest until fruit is tender, about 8-10 minutes.

In a small bowl mix together the sugar and cornstarch.  Stir into fruit mixture and continue cooking until fruit comes to a boil.  Boil until thick about a minute.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor or since I don't have one big enough a stand mixer, mix together on low the flour, oats, brown sugar, butter, baking soda, salt and vanilla until blended and the mixture resembles course crumbs.

Reserve 2 cups of the mixture and set aside.  Pour the rest of the mixture into the prepared pan and use the back of a wooden spoon or large fork to push the crust into an even layer in the bottom of the pan.  Spread the blueberry mixture evenly on top of the crust.

Sprinkle the reserved 2 cups on top of the blueberries.  Bake for 30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the filling starts to bubble around the edges.  Cool completely and then cut into squares.  The bars should be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Enjoy!  Susan

This is linked to www.ladybehindthecurtain.com, www.djssugarshack.com, www.insidebrucrewlife.comwww.mizhelenscountrycottage.blogspot.com, www.michellestastycreations.blogspot.com, www.crazyforcrust.com

www.sunflowersupperclub.blogspot.com, www.alli-n-son.com, www.sixsistersstuff.com