RRR

I sound so whiny lately. I'm almost through, I swear.

But for now, for real: it's crunch time.

I've basically stopped doing the readings I'm supposed to be doing for school, so with those out of the way my revised to-do list looks something like this: 1 essay rewrite, 2 journal entries, 3 research essays (totaling 40-ish pages), and 4 final exams. Two and a half weeks to do it all. Wish me luck.

I am thankful for the boy who told me: "Make lists, your good at those. And Jacqueline, don't forget: one thing at a time."

I made a list today! Here I go...!

Raspberry Crumb Breakfast Bars

Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

These are nice to have around, especially when you are in a hurry and have too much on the go. Make a pan of these and enjoy for breakfast, lunch, or midnight snack. I LOVE raspberries, and I LOVE oats. Match made in baking heaven! *Please note: I significantly reduced the amount of sugar this recipe called for. I like my raspberries with their famous tart-bite. By reducing the sugar, I think, you make these bars appropriate for eating no matter what time of day *

For the crust and crumb:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1 1/4 cups rolled oats

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces

For the raspberry filling:

1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 pound raspberries, fresh or frozen

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Make the Crust and Crumb:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch glass or light coloured metal baking pan. Put a long piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, letting the parchment extend up the two short sides of the pan and overhang slightly on both ends. (This will make it easy to remove the bars form the pan after they have baked.) Butter the parchment.

Put the flour, brown sugar, oats, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon in a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until combined. Add the butter and pulse until loose crumbs form.

Reserve 1 cup of the mixture and set aside. Pour the rest of the mixture into the prepared pan and use your hands or the back of a large wooden spoon to push the crust into an even layer in the bottom of the pan. The crust should touch the sides of the pan. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let the crust cool. Keep the oven on while you make the raspberry filling.

Make the Raspberry Filling:

In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon, and flour together.

Add the raspberries, lemon juice, and butter and use your hands to toss gently until the raspberries are evenly coated.

Assemble and Bake the Bars!:

Spread the raspberry filling evenly on top of the cooled crust. Sprinkle the reserved 1 cup crust mixture evenly on top of the filling.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan every 15 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling starts to bubble around the edges.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then cut into squares and serve. the pars can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days.