Fruit Crumb Bars

These are your basic oatmeal-on-the-top-and-bottom-with-fruit-in-the-middle dessert bars. I usually make them for a potluck or a get-together (along with something else), because they make quite a few, they're good if someone doesn't want chocolate, and most everyone likes them. Also, you can choose whatever flavor of pie filling you want for the middle. They also freeze REALLY well and taste really good cold (not that I would know from personal experience ;) ). Adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens New Baking Book.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Yields: 40 bars

Ingredients

• 2 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1⁄2 cups  quick-cooking rolled oats
• 1 1⁄2 cups brown sugar, packed
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1⁄2 cups butter, melted
• 1 (21 ounce) can  pie filling, any flavor of choice

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, oats, brown sugar, and baking soda.
3. Stir in melted butter until combined. Set 2 cups of the mixture aside for topping.
4. Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of an ungreased, foil-lined 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12 minutes.
5. Cut large pieces of fruit in pie filling so they are smaller. Carefully spread pie filling on top of baked crust.
6. Sprinkle the reserved topping mixture over the pie filling, and gently pat the mixture into the filling.
7. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes more (I usually only do 21 minutes) or until the top is golden.
8. Cool in pan on a wire rack. When cool, cut into bars.