Almost Nutra Grain Bars

Kittencalskitchen's Note:

These are great to take to work, kids lunch boxes, for a potluck or a bake sale, you can slice them and stick them in the freezer then wrap tightly in foil, put a frozen wrapped bar into your kid's lunchboxes, they will thaw out by noon, they are just as good if not better than the store-bought! ---This also works well using blueberry or other flavors of jams, for easy spreading heat the jam in the microwave until softened :)

• Total Time: 35 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 16

• 1 (18 ounce) box yellow cake mix
• 2 ½ cups quick-cooking oatmeal (use only quick-cooking)
• ½ cup brown sugar (use 3/4 cup for a sweeter crust and topping)
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ 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)

Directions:

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).

Reviews

[bebeboy03]

These are just wonderful! I made them for my 2 year old that loooves nutragrain bars. I made a few changes to them that suited us better. I also didnt have any cake mix, so I used what a previous reviewer used instead. The flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Although I cut the sugar down to 1/2 cup. I also used 3/4 cup ground flax seed instead of the 1/4 cup melted butter. I did use the 2tbsp butter though. These were definitely sweet enough and I will absolutely be making these again instead of buying them. Thank you for the recipe! I have come to adore all of the recipes that you post! :)

[GzNKz4evr]

You did it again Kitten! You have never let me down - not to mention providing me with another fabulous recipe! No more Nutri-Grain bars for this house, I am making them for now on. I did try a sugar-free jam just to see if it made a difference. It was good, but I will stick to the "real" stuff next time. :)

[MinnMomof2]

WOW! This was great!! The base/topping wons wonderful! I used a 1 lb (18 oz) of strawberry preserves. I think it was a bit much, in the middle the bars didn't hold together as well as I would have liked. My 6 yo didn't care for them but she's finiky and claimed befoe she had them "I don't like jelly". I cut into 'sticks' and wrapped in plastic wrap and put in the fridge for future snacking. Thanks!!