Blueberry Bars

Today is a wet and rainy, cloudy and grey day. The perfect day for curling up in the living room with a cup of Oolong tea and a favorite dessert with a good book. Or maybe with a lap top so that I can tell all my bloggy friends about it. ; )

Little Man is napping, my husband is engrossed in music stuff, and I made a favorite dessert. Now I want to share the recipe with you.

Blueberry Oat Bars

Crumbly Crust and Topping:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup cold butter

Blueberry Filling:
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons lemon juice

2tablespoons water

In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, 1 cup sugar and baking soda. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (I usually start with my pastry cutter, then move on to my fingers since they're usually so much more effective). ; ) Reserve 2 cups for topping. Press remaining crumb mixture into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan; set aside.

In a large saucepan, combine blueberries, cornstarch, lemon juice, 1/2 cup sugar, and water. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, and "mashing" the blueberries against the side of the pan so that they juice until the mixture is the consistency of a thick yet runny jam. Spread evenly over the crust. Sprinkle with the reserved crumb mixture. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool and cut into bars. Enjoy the blueberry yummyness!