Peach Oatmeal Bars

When I know I'm having friends over for dinner and begin planning what to make, dessert will be the forgotten stepchild.  I like to bake but like cooking more, and since dessert is not essential to me, I don't always remember that it might be to others..until that last minute of course. When this happened yet again and chicken was marinating and rest of the menu prepared, I realized I needed to put together something super duper fast and super duper easy.  Enter these oatmeal bars.

I used to feel bad about using cake mix until I realized it was just pre-measured and mixed flour, sugar and leaveners.  Of course I haven't really read the box to confirm that it's not also a billion preservatives so I reserve the right to change my stance once I do get around to reading that box, never.  What's so fantastic about this recipe is that it comes together with just a few ingredients that many of us always have on hand anyway.  No thinking, no planning, just dumping and stirring.  And it can be made with just about any jam(or fruit butter) flavor you can think up.  I loved that it used up two jars of the peach vanilla butter I made last year because I am starting to get in the mood to make more jam.  If only the fruit would grow faster. 

Is the health value of three cups of oats negated by 3/4 cup of melted butter?  I would imagine you can substitute margarine if you are a margarine kind of peeps. 

It's not in the recipe but I threw the remaining crumbs I had from the blackberry crumb muffins on top and didn't hate it.  At all.  No one hates crumbs do they?  I really used them just to use up what was in my fridge but if you think these might need a bit more butter, the recipe can is here.  It is pretty tasty with the crumbs.  This recipe takes 5 minutes to throw in the oven and no one needs to know you opened a box.  Does saying that make me sound like Sandra Lee?  My friends had no idea it was from cake mix and all was well since I had dessert.

Peach Oatmeal Bars

Ingredients
1 (18 1/4 ounce) box white, yellow or french vanilla cake mix
3 cups old fashioned oats
3/4 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups favorite jam flavor

Directions

Melt butter over low heat in small saucepan. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 375°F and grease 9x13 baking pan
In large bowl, combine cake mix and oats.  Stir to combine

Add vanilla extract to butter and then add butter to cake mix and oats
Mix well until entire mixture comes together in large clumps
Press 2/3 of this mixture evenly into bottom of prepared pan
Spread jam evenly over surface, and sprinkle remaining mixture evenly over jam
Bake 30 minutes, or until well-browned on top

Cool completely before cutting and serving