BEE'S KNEES BARS

 I really enjoying searching through my cookbooks or recipes I have collected to find new and interesting treats to make for the church's Cafe Treats. This recipe I found intriguing.

I found it in Barron's The Great American Bake Sale cookbook that I got (yes, you are correct) at an estate sale. In the margin for the recipe, it states, " This old Virginia recipe "originally" came from Scotland...and somewhere along the way butterscotch chips got in there. I guess that's what's called culinary evolution!"

I would love to know how it got its name. I finally decided it was because of the honey in the recipe, but other than that, I don't have a clue.

When it came time for me to write on the display board for the treat, I just wrote Honey Butterscotch Oatmeal Bars. That better described to the patrons what was in the bars. That's all they care about really. If I could I shared the story of the recipe and several people selected one just because of the story.

I loved the bars and will probably have to make them again sometimes just for us because they were all eaten (except for the one I took out for me to sample). I definitely enjoyed the taste of the butterscotch chips and honestly think the Old-Fashioned Oats on top were a good substitution for the slivered almonds. The almonds would have been a added treat though.

I hope you will give the recipe a try. 

BEE'S KNEES BARS

1       cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened

1/3    cup honey

1       teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

1-1/2 cups flour

1-1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats

1/2    teaspoon salt

1       cup (6 oz pkg) butterscotch chips

1/2    cup blanched slivered almonds (I used a scant              1/2 cup old fashioned oats)

2       tablespoons honey

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat the butter, 1/3 cup honey, and flavoring until smooth and creamy. (I just let the mixer run while I measured the dry ingredients.)

Scrape the sides of the bowl.

Blend together the flour, quick oats, and salt.

Add the dry mixture to the creamed mixture and

blend well. 

Stir in the butterscotch chips.

Press the dough into an ungreased 9 x 13 - inch pan.

(I dump most of the dough into the pan and then

spread it out as best as I can.

Then I take the rest of the dough and add it in clumps where I came up short.)

Sprinkle almonds over the top and pat into the dough. (I substituted the Old-Fashioned oats because I wanted the bars to be nut-free.)

Brush the 2 tablespoons of honey over the top. This was not easy so I ended up drizzling most of the honey and spreading out areas that were a little bit heavier with the honey.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. I personally baked mine 29 minutes.

Cool completely before cutting into bars.