oatmeal raisin bars.

i made these bars for the first time a couple weeks ago. honestly, this is one of my favorite bar/cookie recipes. if i could have, i would have eaten the entire 9x13 pan. i am not lying. ask my sister. oatmeal raisin cookies are good but i have a hard time getting the soft, under-baked cookie that i so, so love. this recipe solves that problem. you have to try them. i promise you will love them as much as i do. if you don't, something is terribly wrong with you. 

** i wrote this paragraph right when i began the blog...so it's been a couple months since i originally made these...

BUT we made these bars again last night and my first paragraph was reconfirmed. i L O V E these bars!

so last night we had one of my best friends, alyssa, over for dinner...we just grilled up some steaks and i made some amazing mashed potatoes from pioneer woman's blog (i know this a baking blog but i might have to share this recipe because they are THAT good!), corn on the cob and caesar salad. but i knew i needed some dessert so decided on these. 

for those who know alyssa, never in a million years would you have guessed that she is the one that made these! (she once asked if she could cook on the stove with a metal bowl, yeah...) so when i started to get the ingredients out last night and she asked if she could help and i of course said sure. and before i knew it, she basically made the whole recipe...i'm so proud of her! and don't worry, she knows i am talking about her...she was the one to suggest that these go on the blog this week...she wanted a picture of her "baking" but we couldn't find the camera! maybe next time...

oatmeal raisin bars + printable version

-- from young and hungry cookbook by dave lieberman.

2 c flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick) margarine

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut in 1/4 inch pieces

1 c sugar

1 c lightly packed dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups rolled (old fashioned) oats

1 cup raisins

preheat oven to 350. grease a 9x11 inch baking pan (yeah, i don't have one of those so i use a 9x13 pan). 

stir flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large mixing bowl. in another bowl, beat margarine, butter, and both sugars until creamy. beat in eggs and vanilla until fluffy. add flour mixture to butter mixture in two batches and beat until thoroughly mixed. stir in oats and raisins until they are evenly distributed. 

spoon batter into prepared pan and pat it down to an even layer. (i always spray my hands with non-stick spray or wet them with water, so the batter doesn't stick to my hands) 

bake 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the edges start to get crispy. remove from oven and cool in the pan. (i only baked mine for 25 so they are a little gooey-er) 

**the recipe says it makes 16  2 x 2 1/2 inch bars