I was out for a run on the trail the other day when I came up behind an older gentleman wearing a shiny blue baseball jacket and ball cap, strolling, as many men his age do, with both hands clasped together behind his back.
He heard me coming (my gasping for air was hard to miss…) and turned to acknowledge me with a kind smile and tip of his cap. I returned the gesture then melted a little inside thinking about what a precious Grandpa he probably is to some cute family.
As I continued on I couldn’t help but think about my own Grandpa, on my Mom’s side. (My Dad’s Dad died before I was born.) He passed away almost 10 years ago, and while I pray for him every night, it had been a long time since I really thought about him.
About how he never left the house without a sharp-looking newsboy cap fitted tightly to his head.
The sound of his laugh when he really got going – ah-TEE-HEE-HEE-HEE! – accompanied by a hearty knee slap. (Holy. Chubby. Child.)
How he called me Kristianna.
How encouraging he was with his grandchildren as we hammered and played in the woodworking shop in his basement when we came to visit.
The sliced banana floating in skim milk that he had every single morning for breakfast.
The way he knew how to fix anything, and everything.
How he waited in line at the Hallmark store every December to get me, his only granddaughter, the collector Barbie ornament he knew I loved to open on Christmas morning.
And “his chair” in the corner of the living room, with a bowl full of butterscotch candies sitting on the end table next to it.
Never in my 19 years of knowing my Grandpa did he ever fill that bowl with anything but rich, sweet, butterscotch candies.
Not peppermint, cherry, cinnamon, or orange. All butterscotch, all the time.
It was this trip down memory lane that had me itching to make a connection with him.
A culinary connection with, what else…
Butterscotch!
Lighter Butterscotch Bars, to be exact! Lighter Butterscotch Bars feature a crumbly oatmeal crust made with less sugar and fat than traditional butterscotch bars, topped with a creamy layer made from fat-free sweetened condensed milk, and a modest amount of sweet butterscotch chips.
Crunchy, chopped pecans dot the top.
Then reserved oatmeal crust goes on streusel-style, before the bars are baked, cooled, sliced, and served.
I know my Grandpa would have adored these. :)
free email bonus
Dinner Made EASY
5 days of simple yet flavorful recipes that take the stress out of dinnertime!
Lighter Butterscotch Bars
Description
Lighter Butterscotch Bars are made with less sugar and fat than your traditional bars, but are still a gooey, nostalgic treat.
Ingredients
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 5 Tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 egg
- 9oz flour (about 2 cups)
- 2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats (can use old-fashioned oats)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk
- 1 1/4 cups butterscotch chips
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans (can use walnuts)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together butter and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk in vanilla and egg, then set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, oats, salt, and baking soda. Add to butter and sugar mixture, then combine with a fork until crumbly.
- Place 3 cups of the oat mixture into the bottom of a non-stick sprayed 9x13" baking dish. Press evenly into the bottom of the pan, then set it, and remaining oat mixture aside.
- Combine sweetened condensed milk, butterscotch chips, and salt together in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 1 minute, stirring every 20 seconds, until melted and smooth. Pour over the crust, then spread to cover evenly. Sprinkle pecans on top, then add remaining oat mixture on top.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until topping is golden brown. Place on a cooling rack and run a knife around the outside edges. Cool completely, then slice and serve.
Notes
From Cooking Light
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
How do I even begin to describe the dense lusciousness of a Lighter Butterscotch Bar?!
Ultra decadent tasting, with a creamy, chewy inside, and a crispy, crunchy outside – all for just 148 calories a bar. Totally unreal.
That signature, caramely, butterscotch flavor takes me right back to sitting on my Grandpa’s lap, unwrapping a candy or two with him. Sigh!
Thanks for letting me reminisce – he really was special!
Emily @ A Cambridge Story 05.09.2012
Such a sweet post! And these bars look incredible!! YUMMM
Lindsey 05.09.2012
Oh, I am definitely making these bars soon! YUM!
Emily 05.09.2012
I absolutely loved this post. So sweet — sent me on a trip down memory lane too! And these bars look scrumptious. Thank you for sharing :)
Kristin 05.09.2012
Awww, Grandpas are so wonderful. Grandpa always ate the egg whites from my breakfast eggs as I only liked the yolks. He used to say that he didn’t know what an egg with a yolk looked like :) He also always drank Tropical Punch kool-aid; no other flavors. Anytime I see it or drink it it reminds me of him.
Katie 05.09.2012
This post made me tear up! My grandpa eats butterscotch candies and wears a hat like that, too. What I remember most about him was that, as serious as he may have looked to anyone else, he always loved to make his grandchildren laugh. When he’d have a picture taken, he’d always say “liver & onions” instead of “cheese” and it’s so hard for me not to smile from ear to ear when I think about that!
Love this post & can’t wait to try this recipe!!
Jenn 05.09.2012
This made me tear up. I hold my grandpa incredibly close to my heart, this was such a nice tribute to yours.
Michelle @ Brown Eyed Baker 05.09.2012
I love this recipe, as much for the ingredients as for the story behind it. Lovely photos of you with your grandpap.
kelly 05.09.2012
Lovely post and I will be making these!
Whitney @ Whit Likes Fit 05.09.2012
I love this post! My grandpa also always sliced up bananas and had them in milk (with a little sugar) and always had the butterscotch hard candies in a bowl. He also is the reason I love everything country – music, cowboy boots, gardening… This post reminds me how much I miss him.
Monica 05.09.2012
Too funny, I had a very similar experience this morning, except I was running towards the grandpa. He smiled and waved, which totally made my morning, because most people are so unfriendly at 6 am on the trail! Loved this tribute to your grandpa. Oh, and the recipe looks great too! :)
Florence 05.09.2012
I just about cried reading this because I could feel how much you loved your grandfather, and it made me miss my father. It was a sweet and loving tribute. I will definitely try the bars!
Michael - Innkeeper 05.09.2012
Such a touching an sincere post. Thanks for sharing. And those bars look wonderful! I love butterscotch.
Mandy 05.09.2012
I love your family photos. What a kind looking man!
My grandpa was a farmer who built his own house, boat, garden, etc. He also had a wicked sense of humor, and loved to tease! I miss him all the time.
And I HAVE to try those bars!!!
nicky 05.09.2012
My grandpa spoke Dutch mixed with English. To this day, I remember him smoking his pipe while I sat on the back of his chair. I don’t like the smell of cigarettes or cigars but still love the smell of a pipe. Thank you for reminding me of my grandpa today.
Daniela 05.09.2012
Movie not moiei!
Daniela 05.09.2012
I just lost my grandpa in December and this post brought tears to my eyes. I miss my grandpa’s patience and sweet smile, and how he would watch any moiei I wanted with me, ever and not complain. He just wanted to spend some time with his grandchildren. Thank you for your sweet post, it was so nice to reminisce.
Jane 05.09.2012
So sweet! My Grandpa always had werther’s candies in a bowl! He always dressed so nicely, khaki pants or shorts, with a striped polo shirt-tucked in with a belt of course. And he would slick his white hair back and used some hair cream to hold it! He took care of my Grandma who lost her leg for many many years. He never complained and loved her so much. Our family took care of him til the end, miss his stories, miss him….
Lindsey 05.09.2012
I used to have sleepovers at my grandparents and always slept in my grandpa’s room, he would tell me story of mini elves that came out to play after I fell asleep, and how they;d dance on the covers and hide treats for me. Every morning I would wake to to look for the treats and sure enough always find something :)
Shelly 05.09.2012
Oh, that picture of the two of you hugging with your eyes scrunched tightly closed melts my heart. I miss my grandpa so much. He wore those polo shirts with the penguins embroidered on the pocket and when I saw recently that brand is coming back into style, my heart clenched a little bit.
Kelsey 05.09.2012
such a sweet post, and the bars look delicious! My grandpa always wore one of those hats too–it brings a tear to my eye just thinking about it. He would always have a twinkle in his eye and wink and me whenever he told a joke–always laughing and smiling and making others do the same, that’s what I remember best about him!