The Joy of Baking!

When I made my first homemade jam (strawberry and apricot) I was filled with a nostalgic feeling of old age- if that is possible- and had to share this recipe that I made shortly after in order to use up the massive amounts of jam I had on hand! Totally easy recipe!

Strawberry Jam Oatmeal Squares

Bottom layer (tart dough):
- 6 tablespoons cold butter
- 6 tablespoons of vegetable shortening
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 2 cups of flour
- 6-8 tablespoons of ice cold water

Center layer:
- 1 ½ cups of any type of jam of your choice

Crumble Layer:
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats
- 1 ½ cups flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup of packed brown sugar
- ¾ cup butter, softened

1. Make the tart dough first; cut the butter and vegetable shortening into the dry mixture of sugar, salt and flour.
2. Incorporate together until the butter/shortening is broken into pea-size pieces
3. Slowly add cold water to the dough until it forms together into a ball.
4. Refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour (you will only a little more than half of the dough for a 9x9 pan but the rest can be kept frozen for months)
5. Make crumble layer in the meantime: combine all ingredients into a mixing bowl and incorporate until it creates a light crumble (add more rolled oats/flour if you feel the crumble becomes too sticky) 6. Remove cold dough from refrigerator and roll out into a rectangle to fit your 9x9 pan and poke holes into the dough before putting in oven (a pan that has been buttered and floured!) 7. Add the jam of your choice on top of this dough and top with your crumble
8. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes or until the top is slightly golden brown
9. Let cool in fridge COMPLETELY before cutting into the tart; serving it at room temperature will leave it slightly gooey and oozy.