Spirited Southern Sweet Potato Bars

Yield: 32 bars

Ingredients

• 2 cups oats (quick or old-fashioned), uncooked
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes or canned pumpkin
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons bourbon or 1/2 teaspoon rum extract (optional)
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13 inch metal baking pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine oats and flour; mix well. Transfer 2/3 cup to small bowl and add salt and red pepper; set aside for filling.
3. To remaining oat-flour mixture, add butter, sugar and vanilla extract; blend with an electric mixer on low to medium speed until crumbly. Reserve 1 cup for topping.
4. Press remaining mixture evenly onto bottom of pan.
5. Bake for 15 minutes; remove from oven.
6. In a separate bowl, combine sweet potatoes, eggs, brown sugar, bourbon and reserved 2/3 cup oat flour-red pepper mixture; mix well. Spread filling over warm crust.
7. Add nuts to reserved 1 cup topping mixture; mix well. Sprinkle evenly over filling, patting lightly.
8. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until topping is light golden brown.
9. Cool in pan on wire rack; cut into bars.
10. Serve at room temperature.
11. Store in the refrigerator tightly covered.

Nutrition

Per Bar: Cal 160 (51% fat) Fat 9g (4g sat) Fiber 1g Chol 30mg Sodium 65mg Carb 18g

Attribution

Recipe and photo used with permission from: Quaker Oats