Oatmeal Raisin Bars

This version of a dried fruit bar is more rustic than other traditional recipes. They have a crumbly oat and brown sugar streusel-like topping that is pressed onto the bars before they bake. The original recipe says to puree the raisins and sugar before you cook them over the stove. However, when I tried to do that in my food processor, the mixture just spun around. It neither combined nor processed. So, in my version, I processed the raisin mixture AFTER it was cooked over the stove- creating a rich, gooey, and smooth filling.

filling:
2 cups raisins (about 13 oz)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
1 cup cold water
1/2 cup apple cider**

dough:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups vegetable shortening
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 10 by 15-inch rimmed baking sheet (or a jelly-roll pan) with parchment paper.
Mix the raisins and sugar together in a saucepan. Whisk cornstarch into the cold water, then whisk into the raisin mixture. Stir in cider. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and let it cook until the mixture has thickened and the sugar has dissolved, about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Let the mixture cool completely. When cool, puree the raisin mixture in a food processor until it has a smooth consistency and can be evenly spread. Put back into the bowl and set aside.
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Put shortening in a bowl and mix on medium speed until smooth. Add brown sugar and cream the mixture until pale and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix until combined. With a large plastic spoon, stir in the flour mixture in 2 parts. Mix until just combined. Then add the oats and mix with your hands to make sure the it is thoroughly incorporated (and to keep your spoon from breaking- the mixture is thick!).
Press half the dough into the prepared baking sheet- making sure to cover the whole pan. Spoon the raisin filling over the top of the dough. Crumble the rest of the dough over the top with your fingers, gently pressing down so that topping covers and sticks to the filling. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until the top is golden brown, about 35 minutes. Let it cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into squares and enjoy!

**If you don't have apple cider on hand, just mix 1/2 cup apple juice with a pinch each of: cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and nutmeg. Nobody will know the difference!

Recipe from: Martha Stewart's Cookies