Double Cherry Streusel Bar Cookie

Double Cherry Streusel Bar Cookie

2 cups water
1 cup dried tart cherries or dried cranberries, snipped
2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2-teaspoon baking soda
1-cup butter (no substitutes)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped slivered almonds
2 12-ounce jars cherry preserves (2 cups total)
1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel

Bring water to boiling in a small saucepan. Remove from heat.
 Add dried cherries or cranberries, and let stand for 10 minutes or until softened.
Drain fruit and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degree F.

Bar cookie crust, stir together oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl. Using a pastry blender cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 cup of the crumb mixture. Stir almonds into the reserved crumb mixture; set aside.

Press remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of an un-greased 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, bar cookies filling, stir together the drained cherries or cranberries, cherry preserves, and lemon peel. Spread the filling evenly over baked crust; sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.

Bake bar cookies 20 to 25 minutes more or until top is golden brown. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes 48 bar cookies.