Applesauce Oatmeal Bars - #GetYourChefOn Challenge Entry

I.LOVE.FALL!  I love the crisp mornings and evenings.  I love the smell in the air.  I love the sound of the leaves crunching under my feet.  I LOVE that we can leave the windows open and have nice cool, fresh air when we sleep.

I.LOVE.FALL!

I.LOVE.APPLES!

Their sweet, crisp taste.  Their versatile and varied flavors.  The ease with which they pair with other ingredients; sweet and savory alike.  AND I know when it's apple season, it FALL!!  YAY!

So, I was SO excited to find out that the GYCO ingredient this time was applesauce.  What's GYCO?  It's a recipe challenge sponsored by Julie from White Lights on Wednesday and Jen from Four Mars One Venus every other month.  I don't know how I stumbled on this, but it is fun trying to create recipes for this challenge.  You can see my past entries here.

Now, I bake with applesauce ALL the time, BUT this time the applesauce has to be the star of the show.  It can't just be an ingredient that you throw into a recipe.  It has the sing the finale on stage and receive the bouquet of roses at the end.  Like.  Star.

Hmm...  I had a few ideas.  I even thought of something with an applesauce puree, but that didn't happen.  You see....we've been busy planning this wedding?  Have ya heard about it?  *giggle*

Anyway, I've been dying to try my hand at an oatmeal crumb bar and thought this would be the perfect time to try it!!  So, that's what I did.  I thought the applesauce might be a bit too wet, so I drained it a bit before spreading it on the crumb crust.  I tried to make mine low fat, so fee free to replace the Parkay with butter or margarine.

These are so simple and so tasty.  Even S said he liked them!  So, they MUST be good.  ;)

Enjoy!

Applesauce Oatmeal Bars
Recipe by A Kitchen Hoor (@flowerfroggirl)

Ingredients

• 3 cups applesauce, drained
• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 3/4 cup Parkay spread
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Place a paper towel or cheesecloth in a strainer. Pour applesauce into the strainer and drain for 20 minutes.
3. Combine oats, all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour, brown sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground allspice, ground cloves, baking soda, salt and butter spread. Using a fork or a pastry blender, combine until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
4. Press 2/3 of the mix unto the bottom of a 9 by 13 baking dish coated with cooking spray.
5. Sprinkle the walnuts over the oats. Spread the applesauce over the walnuts and top with the remaining 1/3 of the oat topping.
6. Bake at 375 for 30 to 35 minutes or until brown on top.

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