It is going to be a real party here starting the Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day. All the beds will be filled and cooking will be a-foot. Pam, George, and Andy's brother Jimmy are coming in early to help. Jimmy, for his photography class, will shoot a picture tableau of an American family's Thanksgiving preparations and celebration. He and Andy take college classes during their retirement. Then Brooks and Alyssa arrive home from their schools so the house will be a-poppin. I love a full busy house. Plus, we have a lot to be thankful for this year.
What we enjoy doing is turning the two turkeys over to George who is the turkey wrestler. We buy two turkeys to prepare one for the occasion and one to be cut up for guests to take home so they have Thanksgiving left overs to enjoy. While this is going on I get two or three hot dips going in the oven and we feed George tidbits while he is working so hard. So then, what to have for lunch. It must be easy because people will be going to the airport to pick up the students as well as all kinds of coming and going. This year I have fixed a favorite of George's, ox tails over buttered noodles. I will have a second dish for those who do not care for that country comfort. I have started the cookie making, so they will be a quick pick up for dessert.
This recipe is the next on the baking menu. For some reasons raspberries were cheap for the last two weeks. NOTE: I made two double batches of these this morning. Very easy, very pretty, but have not tasted.
Raspberry Crumb Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup rolled oats (old fashioned)
- 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup raspberry jam, seedless if preferred
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8 by 8-inch baking dish with aluminum foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang of foil on two sides. Grease foil.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in oats and brown sugar, and use clean fingertips as needed to break up brown sugar clumps. Add butter, and using fingertips, work butter into mixture until evenly moistened.
- Add 2 cups of the oat mixture to the prepared baking dish and press into an even layer. Spread raspberry jam into an even layer over oat layer, coming within 1/4-inch of all edges. Sprinkle top evenly with remaining oat mixture, then slightly press into jam layer.
- Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 34 - 38 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before cutting into squares. Store in an airtight container.
- Recipe Source: adapted from allrecipes
Then for dinner, we will have take out Chinese or pizza because by then we will sick of the kitchen and the food that is in it. Everyone will have jobs. I am turning over the long table setting and decorations to someone else this year. There should be around 24 place settings. The drinks are on the porch along with the cheese trays, dips, & balls.
