Almost Nutra Grain Bars

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 16
• 1 (18 ounce) box yellow cake mix
• 2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (use only quick-cooking)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (use 3/4 cup for a sweeter crust and topping)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup melted butter, plus
• 2 tablespoons melted butter (can use vegetable oil)
• 1 large egg, slightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups strawberry preserves (can use a little more, or use your favorite preserves) or 2 cups raspberry preserves (can use a little more, or use your favorite preserves)

Recipe

• 1 set oven to 375 degrees (oven rack to second-bottom position).
• 2 grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
• 3 in a large bowl combine cake mix, oatmeal, cinnamon and brown sugar; mix with a spatula or a large wooden spoon.
• 4 in a small cup whisk egg with lemon juice and vanilla until combined; add to the crumb mixture along with 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons melted butter.
• 5 using a large wooden spoon toss to combine then use your fingers to finish the mixing.
• 6 mix until the mixture clumps together.
• 7 sprinkle a litle more than half of the crumb mixture into the pan then spread out evenly pressing firmly to cover bottom.
• 8 spoon the jam carefully over the crust in the pan and spread evenly.
• 9 cover with remaining crumb mixture over top of the jam then gently pat the mixture down slightly.
• 10 bake for 20 minutes (the top should be very light brown).
• 11 cool completely, or semi-freeze before cutting into bars (this will make cutting the bars easier).