First Annual (?) ICLW Cookie Exchange: Apricot Oatmeal Bars

 (Welcome ICLW visitors!  If you want a brief back story, click here: the short version is that I am chronicling a journey through life and pregnancy after RPL and a diagnosis of secondary IF; I'm just about to round the corner into week 34.  I make, talk about and take pictures of food, because doing so makes me happy and keeps me mostly out of trouble.)

Since many of us are careening full tilt into the holidays, even though it might be more attractive to hide under a table or in a dark room, I thought I'd do something a little different for this ICLW.  About two weeks ago, I joined an online blogger cookie exchange.  The way it was going to work was this: each of us would bake 1-2 dozen cookies, and send them off to a partner (blogger we've never met) that the organizer would assign to us.  It sounded like a neat idea, and I sent my cookies off to my partner Emily from Life On Food last week, with some trepidation, afraid that she would not like my cookies, or think them too plain, or that they'd be stale or crushed upon arrival (I packed them tightly together, thinking maybe that would help).  But she said that they enjoyed them, and that my box is on its way!

I love cookie exchanges, for the same reason I like ICLW: you get introduced to a bunch of new cookies (blogs), get to talk with the bakers (comment), and make new friends over shared recipes (stories).  So here's my invitation to you: sort of like Mel's Virtual Lushary, I'd like to host a virtual cookie exchange.  Post your favorite cookie below, and if you like, include a link to the recipe (or post the whole recipe, or just send it to me).  If it's a special recipe (handed down through the generations, or if there's a good story behind it), include that, too.

Here's what's on the cookie menu at my house (click for links to previous posts and recipes):

Chocolate Toffee Cookies : these were the first cookies I tried from a blog.
Jam (or Whatever You Like) Filled Pinwheels :  
Sugar Cookies : my sister-in-law's recipe
Cranberry Oatmeal White Chocolate Chip : my husband's favorite cookie 
Gingerbread People (Vegan and Regular) : one chey, one crispy 
Chocolate (Mint) Crinkles : from a co-worker, and adapted to make them my own
... and these Apricot Bars (from my neighbor across the street)

And if anyone wants to do a real cookie exchange, just drop me a line ... I'm all for sending baked goods where they're needed.

Apricot Filled Oatmeal Bars

1 c. flour (regular)
1 c. quick-cooking oats (regular oats work OK)
2/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 t. baking soda
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, very soft
1 c. apricot preserves (I use Polaner All Fruit, no sugar added)


Stir together flour, oats, brown sugar and baking soda.  Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.  (I've also melted the butter once before and that worked OK, too, if you don't have a pastry blender.  You might need just a little bit more flour in that case.)  Pat 2/3 of the crumbs into the bottom of a 13 x 9" baking pan; spread with preserves.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.  Cool and cut into bars, as big or as small as you like them!