Raspberry Preserves Bars

I sure do love these delicious raspberry bars.  I have been making them since just short of forever.  And I have found that by making them randomly throughout the years, that they are nearly perfect for any occasion.  They are perfect in the summer reminding you of raspberries picked at their peak to create the sweetest preserves.  They are perfect in the winter for their deep red coloring to correlate with the holiday festivities and decor.  And they are perfect for right now, the stark dead and damp beginning of spring.  Because they are a burst of fresh flavor to brighten up even the dreariest of days.


2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of light brown sugar (packed)
dash of salt
1 egg (that has stood at room temperature for about 20 minutes, beaten)
1 cup of real un-salted butter (softened)
1- 12oz. jar of red raspberry preserves
1 1/2 cups of white chocolate chips
1/2 cup of pecans (chopped)
1/4 cup of old fashioned oats

-Preheat your oven to 350*.  Grease a 9x13" baking dish and set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugars and salt.  Using a large fork, cut in the egg and the butter (you want it to get all throughout and make it kind of crumbly).  Take about 3/4's of this cookie mixture and spread it out evenly across the bottom of your greased baking dish (you are wanting a nice cookie crust layer for the bottom of the bars).  Spread out the red raspberry preserves over this bottom layer making sure to get it out all the way to the edges; sprinkle on the white chocolate chips.  Add the pecans and the oats to the remaining 1/4 of the crumbly cookie dough left in your large mixing bowl; sprinkle this evenly across the top.  Bake at 350* for 40-45 minutes.  Let stand and cool completely before cutting.  Makes 36 bars.  Enjoy!