Blueberry Oatmeal Bars

Blueberry Oatmeal Bars (with Spinach!)
From Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld:

Ingredients:

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 1/4 c all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat)
  
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1/4 t baking powder
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 t pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 c Balance trans-fat-free soft tub margarine spread, chilled (I used butter)
• 1 cup low-sugar blueberry preserves (I used regular organic preserves)
• 1/2 cup spinach puree*
  

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Coat an 8x8 inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, & vanilla, and stir to mix well.
3. Add the margarine and cut it quickly into the dry ingredients with two knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal and is no longer powdery. Do not overmix-bits of margarine will still be visible.
4. Set aside about half of the oat mixture; press the rest of it firmly into the pan. Bake until lightly browned at the edges (but not fully baked). 13 to 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, mix the preserves with the spinach puree in a small bowl.
6. Spread the blueberry mixture over the partially baked oat layer, then sprinkle with the reserved oat mixture. Bake until the topping is slightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Set the pan on a rack to cool completely before cutting into 12 bars.

*Spinach puree:
Prep: No prep at all for baby spinach. For mature spinach, fold leaves in half lengthwise witht he stem outside, then strip the stem off the leaf.
Cook: Steam for 30 to 40 seconds, or cook in a skillet with 1 T water for about 90 seconds, or just until wilted. (I steamed mine in the microwave for 2 minutes in a covered glass dish).
Puree: In a food processor or blender for about 2 minutes until smooth and creamy.

The kids loved these. The first time I made them they knew I used a secret ingredient but didn't want to know what it was. This time, they knew what it was and didn't care. What a great way to get some iron & greens into a healthy snack!!!

Stuff I'm making

I'm making Hungarian Goulash for dinner tonight. I wanted to try to do it in the crock pot, but I don't think I have time. I suppose I could do it anyway and have it for dinner tomorrow night, instead. But then what will be for dinner tonight? I'm obviously craving some comfort food! Because meatloaf sounds good, too, but no one else in my family will eat it. You know what else they won't eat which makes me mad? Manwiches....or Sloppy Joes, whatever. Who doesn't love a Sloppy Joe?

I made the best Tiramisu yesterday! Its the first time I made it and well, it turns out that I'm really good at it! LOL You just beat together 3 egg yolks, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 TBSP strong coffee or espresso, & 2 TBSP brandy or cognac for about 3 minutes. Fold in 8 ozs Mascarpone cheese and beat for about 4 minutes until smooth & creamy. Then in a separate bowl, you whip 3 egg whites & a apinch of sugar until it forms soft peaks. Dip the bottom half of 10-12 lady fingers into espresso or coffee, then layer the cheese mixture on top, sprinkle some cocoa powder ( I used Green & Blacks organic), keep layering, and Well-a! Tiramisu! My kids complained that it was too wet on the bottom, but I think its perfectly delicious and my husband agrees.

I put the freezer barrel in the freezer two days ago so I guess I ought to get busy and make that Basil Lemon Sorbet I've been meaning to make. Doesn't that sound good? It has mint in it, too. Yum.

I'm not keeping up with this blog much. I love reading all the other great food blogs out there!! I'm totally addicted to it. Between the weight loss blogs and the food/recipe blogs, I am on the computer way too much!! So, having said that, I better get myself into the kitchen and figure out how to do goulash in the crock! My meat is still frozen, sooo.....yea, I'm kind of screwed. I wanted to brown it first, but this was a last minute idea..well, I've been putting it off for over a week now, so not so last minute. I'm rambling, but who cares? I have no readers! LOL