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. :)
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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!
So sweet. I still have one living Grandpa and my other Grandpa passed away a year ago – there are so many fond memories I have of him (he was a sugar addict, the smell of his cigar, he had wild hair, would dance and sing the play air guitar, wave goodbye to us with both hands and one foot, etc.). I am so sad that my son won’t meet one of his great-grandpas.
Did you use the butterscoth chips off the floor?!?! Ha Ha – I would have :)
Okay, maybe I feel like a fool as I type this, but I have tears running down my face after reading about your grandpa. He sounds like he was such an awesome man and much like my grandpa, who’s 87 years old, and thankfully still with us today. He even wears the newsboy caps everywhere, too. : )Thank you for sharing your memories and this yummy sounding recipe.
Jennifer
Thank you for the beautiful personal story. My beloved grandfather died almost exactly 12 years ago. Reading this post made me remember his laugh and the way he would make up random, silly songs and have me dance around the house with him. Grandparents may be gone, but they are certainly never forgotten :)
My G.Pa passed away this month so your post today was really touching. He used to call me “Princiss,” instead of prounouncing it “Princess” and I don’t know (or really care) if he called every little girl in the world that same thing, to me it felt like our special thing.
Reading all of your Grandpa memories almost made me cry. My grandpa just passed away in December (can’t believe it’s been 6 months). I think of him all the time, but every time I see a pastel-colored polo shirt the memories come flooding in. Gotta love grandpas.
Nice story…and sweet saddle shoes.
Your grandpa was a wonderful man, and your grandma still is. After my father died when I was 14, your grandpa (who was a lot like my dad personality and otherwise) was always so good to see how all of our family was doing too. It says quite a lot that all my siblings took the time to go to your grandpa’s funeral though we all lived faraway from Austintown by then. A special special person.
I want to make these immediately! They look awesome :)
These bars sound AMAZING!
Grandpa’s are so special aren’t they? I’m the oldest grandchild and I feel a deep connection with my Grandpa. He is a big man and gives the best bear hugs every time he seems me. His giant hugs make me feel like I’m still a child. It might sound weird, but I love his smell, Old Spice after shave + a little piney car air freshener smell + Chap Stick (the black label).
Grandpas are the best. My maternal grandpa is a retired truck driver and he took me and my sisters on a couple of day trips with him. We got to honk the horn, lay in the bed in the back, and he brought us special snacks to eat along the way. He’s still the best grandpa ever. My paternal grandpa passed away when I was 7, but I still remember that he used to chase me and tickle me, which I pretended to hate but secretly loved. :) Great post. I’m so sentimental; this made me cry!
Cannot wait to make these! Butterscotch always reminds me of my dad because his favorite cookie ever is oatmeal scotchies. I’ve got to make these for him to try!
How appropriate that I read this post today because it’s my grandpa’s 92nd birthday today! I am incredibly grateful to have him around and wish I could visit him more. I love that my grandpa always used to play softball with us when I was growing up and when we would play board games he always let us win.
Thank you very much for letting Ben bring these to work today. He was nice enough to share and they are absolutely delicious!!
What a sweet grandpa! Thanks so much for sharing this! These bars look insane. I cannot wait to make them :-) I am very blessed to still have all the people I love alive, and know I will just crumble when the day comes that I don’t.
Something my grandpa always does is send me his chocolate chip cookies on valentines day. I remember when I was single and would have to go endure the dreaded office day seeing every other girl showered with gifts, but would feel ten times better seeing that special package in my mail.
1 grandpa has been gone for 18 years and my other grandpa about a year and half! They were both amazing men! My Pappy had is own chair that no one else could sit in, no matter what! And he always had his tongue rolled up and half sticking out of his mouth.. signature trait I guess.
My grandpa Harold was a tall man! I remember his very big hands and he always had some kind of hat on! For his funeral, all of us grandkids put on one of his hats to wear. I miss them both so much!
YUM. My grandparents always had those butterscotch candies too (Werther’s!). Must be a generational thing :)
This post is so sweet! I’m sure your grandpa is smiling down on you appreciating that you made this recipe in memory of him. I’m sure he was a wonderful man and he clearly loved you a lot! That Barbie ornament part is adorable :)
What a lovely tribute to grandpa. It’s funny the things we remember and how they put a smile on our faces. Great post.
Thanks now I’m sobbing!! I spent many many hours at that same workbench. He was a wonderful person – gentle and kind – and loved kids. I remember so very much about him I could write forever. I miss him too!
What a beautiful post, Kristin. I never knew either of my grandpas, so that’s wonderful that you have those precious memories. Thanks for sharing, and those butterscotch bars are SO going on the “to bake” list!