Let's face it. Bar cookies are the easiest to make. This recipe has some of my favorite ingredients: raisins, sour cream and spices. You can use dried cranberries instead of raisins, if you like. Try it.
Sour Cream Raisin Bars
2 cups raisins
1-1/2 cups water
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1-3/4 cups old fashion oatmeal
1-3/4 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 cups sour cream
2-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 13 x 9-inch glass baking pan. Combine raisins and water in medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Drain well and set aside to cool.
Next, combine brown sugar, butter, oatmeal, flour and soda in a medium bowl. Mix well. Press half the mixture, about 2 cups, into bottom of the prepared pan to form a crust. Bake 7 minutes until partially cooked and slightly set.
Combine egg yolks, granulated sugar, sour cream, cornstarch and cinnamon in medium saucepan and stir until cornstarch is dissolved. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens and resembles pudding, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and raisins. Pour onto crust and crumble remaining oatmeal mixture evenly over top.
Bake 25 minutes at 350 F or until set. Cool completely on a wire rack and refrigerate 1 hour before cutting. Makes 36 bars.