Cranberry - Orange Pie Bars

These pie bars have a nice flavor balance: not too sweet and not too tart. Perfect all year round, but especially in the winter.

Ingredients :

Crust:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 cup quick-cooking oats

• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp baking soda

• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

• 6 Tbl butter, melted

• 3 Tbl orange juice

• cooking spray

Filling:

• 3/4 cups water

• 1 (12 oz. size) bag cranberries

• 1/4 cup sugar

• zest and juice from 1 orange

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325F

2. To prepare crust, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through cinnamon) in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle butter and juice over flour mixture, stirring until moistened ( mixture will be crumbly). Reserve 1/2 cup oat mixture. Press remaining oat mixture into the bottom of an 11x7 - inch baking dislocated with cooking spray.

3. To prepare filling, in a saucepan, add water and sugar. Stir until sugar is absorbed. Add the rinsed cranberries, orange juice and zest.Simmer for about 10-15 minutes until the cranberries pop and mixture begins to thicken. Let cool completely.

4. Spread cranberry mixture over prepared crust: sprinkle reserved oat mixture evenly over filling.

5. Bake at 325F for 40 minutes. cool completely in pan on a wire rack.