If you're looking for a good low-fat dessert, here's a keeper.
The April issue of Cooking Light takes a reader's rich, high-calorie recipe for Butterscotch Bars and lightens it considerably. I tried them this weekend, and they were great.
The crumbly topping was a little too dry, so you might go for a whole stick of butter instead of the 5 tablespoons recommended, though then it wouldn't be so light.
Or, add just a touch of butter to the oat mixture for the streusel-like topping.
BUTTERSCOTCH BARS
Makes 36 bars
1 cup packed brown sugar
5 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten
9 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)
2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Cooking spray
3/4 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1 1/4 cups butterscotch morsels (about 8 ounces)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts, toasted
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl. Stir in vanilla and egg. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, oats, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and baking soda in a bowl. Add oat mixture to sugar mixture; stir with a fork until combined (mixture will be crumbly). Place 3 cups oat mixture into the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray; press into bottom of pan. Set aside.
3. Place sweetened condensed milk, butterscotch morsels, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at high 1 minute or until butterscotch morsels melt, stirring every 20 seconds. Stir in walnuts. Scrape mixture into pan, spreading evenly over crust. Sprinkle evenly with remaining oat mixture, gently pressing into butterscotch mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the topping is golden brown. Place pan on a cooling rack; run a knife around outside edge. Cool completely.
148 calories, 5.1 grams fat, 11 mg cholesterol, 31 mg calcium, 23.4 grams carbohydrates, 87 mg sodium, 2.6 grams protein, .8 grams fiber and .8 mg iron per bar
