Chocolate Raspberry Streusel Squares

My daughter Elisa keeps telling me that I should change the name of my blog. When I started the blog, it was with the intention of having somewhere to record my random occasional thoughts. I came up with the name of my blog pretty quickly, without giving it much consideration. I started sharing recipes (with no pics at first) from time to time. But now I seem to post more recipes than ponderings. It’s not really that I cook and bake more than I think (well, sometimes I do), but it’s easier to post a recipe than to sit and write out my thoughts coherently. Writing does not come easily to me and it never sounds polished even after a few drafts and I usually just throw my thoughts onto the computer and post my first draft. Soooo, I will probably keep posting more recipes than thoughts despite my blog name. Sorry, Elisa.

I just found this recipe in some of my very old files and made it since I had all the ingredients and I’ve been in the mood for coconut. I made a few little changes to the recipe and came up with this. When I put it together, you could see the very white coconut, but after baking, the chocolate chips melted and the jam bubbled and spread so the coconut kind of hides in the layer, but you can still taste it. I really like the mixture of flavors. I didn’t have any more raspberry jam (my favorite), so I used blackberry. Use your favorite kind!
Chocolate Raspberry Streusel Squares

1 1/4 c. flour
1 1/4 c. oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. brown sugar firmly packed
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
3/4 c. butter or margarine, chilled and cut into pieces
3/4 c. raspberry jam
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 c. chopped almonds
1/2 c. flaked sweetened coconut
1/2 c. semi-Sweet chocolate chips, melted, optional

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine flour, oats, sugars, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in large bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until mixture is crumbly. Reserve 1 cup oat mixture for streusel. Press remaining oat mixture onto bottom of ungreased 8-inch square baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes.

Spread preserves evenly over hot crust to within 1/2 inch of edges. Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup chocolate chips and coconut. Combine reserved oat mixture and almonds, if desired; sprinkle over morsels, patting gently.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Drizzle with melted chocolate, if desired. Let chocolate set before cutting into squares. Store tightly covered.