Blueberry Almond Bars

Recipe from Midwest Living

Ingredients: Makes 16 bars

½ cup butter or margarine

1  12-oz package (2 cups)  white baking pieces

2    eggs, slightly beaten

1/2  cup  sugar

1/2  to 1 teaspoon  almond extract

1  cup  all-purpose flour

1/2  teaspoon  salt

1/2  cup  blueberry jam

1/4  cup  sliced almonds

Directions: 
Preheat Oven to 325 F.  In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Remove from heat. Add 1 cup of the baking pieces (do not stir). Set aside. Grease a 9x9x2-inch baking pan. Set aside.  In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs and sugar. Add butter mixture to egg mixture; stir just until combined. Stir in almond extract.

In a small bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Add flour mixture to egg mixture; stir just until combined. Spread half of the batter into prepared pan. Bake in a 325 degree F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt jam over low heat, stirring occasionally. Spread melted jam evenly over warm crust. Stir the remaining 1 cup of baking pieces into the remaining batter. Drop the batter in small mounds onto the jam filling. Sprinkle with almonds.  Bake about 35 minutes more or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean and top is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. 

Nutrition Information:

Per serving: Calories 277, Total Fat 14 g, Saturated Fat 9 g, Cholesterol 43 mg, Sodium 176 mg, Carbohydrate 33 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 2 g. Daily Values: Vitamin C 0%, Calcium 0%, Iron 0%. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet