Raisinet Bars and a Birthday Giveaway!
Monday, September 15, 2008 at 3:48PM in Bars/Brownies, Giveaways, baking 
I can't believe I thought I'd have more time when back to school time came around. Last year, I home schooled one of my kids. This year, it was supposed to be two of them, but ended up being all four at the last minute. So yeah, free time is not very high on my list.
So here's a quickie recipe. These bars are so quick and easy, and insanely good. You can use any chocolate covered raisins, like Raisinets, but I like to get the dark chocolate covered raisins from Trader Joe's. These are like a cross between Toll House cookie bars and blondies. Originally found at VeryBestBaking.com. I also like to leave the cinnamon out of these. Sometimes I'm just not in the mood to have anything competing with chocolate--I just want the chocolatey goodness to shine. And it does in these. The chocolate gets melty, leaving warm pockets of fudgy deliciousness and sweet raisins. Don't think I don't love cinnamon--I do! just not so much with my chocolate, hehe.
And speaking of raisins, I know some of you won't like these. It's the dried up fruit thing, right? Well they're not so dried up in these bars. They kind of plump up during cooking. Is it the chocolate around them heating up? I don't know for sure, but the results are delicious!
Raisinet Bars
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 package (14 ounces) NESTLÉ RAISINETS Milk Chocolate-Covered Raisins
1 3/4 cups quick or old-fashioned oats, divided
Heat oven to 350° F. Grease an 11 x 7 pan.
Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in small bowl.
Beat the sugar, butter and vanilla extract in large bowl until creamy.
Beat in the egg.
Gradually add flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture.
Stir in Raisinets and 1 1/2 cups cups oats.
Spread into prepared pan.
Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of oats.
BAKE for 34-38 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.
And now for the giveaway! Tomorrow is my birthday, and since I love you guys and you're so good to me, I want to share the love. I'm giving away a one year subscription to one of my favorite magazines, ever--Saveur. This one will be open to US residents as well as all of you international folks!
All you have to do to enter the giveaway is leave a comment and a valid email address where I can find you. I'll pick a random winning entry on September 30th, so that gives you two weeks.
And as always, thanks for reading!
Elle | Print Article | Share Article | Email Article | 85 Comments tagged bars, cooking, dessert, giveaway, new england, raisinet, recipe
Reader Comments (85)
those sure sound good to me! & have a really happy Birthday!
katbaro at yahoo dot com
Oooh, hooray for quick AND delicious treats - yum!! Hang in there with the busyness!!
Wishing you an early happy birthday!!!
I'm not comfortable with posting my email address in the comment section on blogs, but I'd be happy to email it to you, Elle, if you provide me with yours! :0)
I'm in re: the giveaway and I do believe I will try this recipe. Thanks. And Happy Birthday!
pattilunn@hotmail.com
Veggie Girl, I know where to find you. :) But you are more than welcome to email it to me.
elle239 at yahoo.com
Thanks for the good wishes, Kat, Veggie Girl and Patti!
Thank you for an excuse to go to Trader Joe's!! In an attempt to be a little more thrify I've decided to cancel any recipe magazines I get so THIS is an awesome give away!
Happy, happy birthday!! *insert cake, ice cream and noise makers here*
Have a very happy birthday! :-) This looks like a great recipe for snacks for ds's tennis team. Can't wait to try them.
tabarton at gmail dot com
Oh I love give-a-ways! I hosted one not too long ago. I am not a very good baker, but these look really easy....and yummy! Thanks for sharing! I hope you have a great birthday! Enjoy! Stacy
Stacypdx_brady@yahoo.com
Those bars look amazing, and Happy Early Birthday!
I bet it isn't easy homeschooling all 4 kids.
Elle these look wonderful! I started working full time and now with my kids in school I don't seem to have much time for blogging! But I am going to definitely try these and I will let you know how they come out.
Good luck finding more time!
International folks? That makes me one of them! Thanks Elle in advance hehe And Happy Birthday in advance! I hope you have a nice and warm birthday this year with your family.
Home schooling 4 kids is no joke! Take care!
This brownie looks good, just like how it sounds!
Happy Birthday! What beautiful bars and healthy too!
Have a wonderful birthday. I love the cover of with the watermelon. It makes my mouth water.
Mmm, another bookmarked recipe of yours! These look and sound wonderful. I think with the addition of chocolate, that even the little darlings that aren’t fond of raisins would take a chance on them. A very happy birthday to you Elle! Wow, and home schooling all your children?! Brave woman you are.
Oh, alright then, go ahead and enter me in the giveaway...
okaramountain at gmail dot com
Happy Birthday! Hope it works out well for you. These bars look wicked tasty, I bet they would be good with peanut M&Ms too. :)
bobcooksstuff@gmail.com
Happy Happy Birthday!
I have never thought to bake with Raisinets! How yummy!
Please contact me on my blog if I am chosen!
Oh, those bars look so simple and delicious!
Happy Birthday!
Neat blog!
momtolucy05 (at) yahoo (dot) com
Happy bday-have a beautiful day! I am a happy subscriber to your yummy blog-thanks!
loripowell@gmail.com
4 kiddos homeschooled?? WOw, that's a lot of work. It's like a one-room schoolhouse at your place!
My kiddo likes those raisinet thingies so I'm sure he'd be all for me making these.
Happy, happy bday! Don't want to leave my email for all to see, but you can always reach me through my blog :) Have a great day!!
A very happy birthday to you, fellow Virgo! Hope it's a great one! :-)
Happy Birthday Sweetie!!! These bars---omfg---they look SO freakin good! Chocolate covered raisins...YUM!
Have a wonderful Birthday. How generous of you to be giving the gift on your birthday!
Reading your blog is almost as good as rating the food and blowing my diet!
food@stephaniesells(dot) com
Wow bars look extremely yummy. Very easy and intresting recipe. Bookmarked! Will out this soon.
Hey Happy Birthday Elle! What fun stuff are you doing today? I bet your students have some sweet gifts for you :)
I love the idea of rainsete bars. If raisins are good, well then chocolate covered ones must take it to a whole new level. I would bring these to school :)
Funny how raisinete is a chocolate raisin, when it should probably mean like a female raisin, right?
I love these bars - they look so moist!
Happy birthday, Elle!
Happy Birthday Elle! We share the same month for a birthday! Guess what day my birthday is??!! September 30! Would be great if I won your prize! :)
happy birthday, elle--i hope it's super special.
being anti-raisin, i have to admit that i was hesitant to like your recipe. it didn't take me long to decide that it looks too good to pass up. :)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! You are so generous! I LOVE this magazine! Please enter me in the contest!
Oh, and your raisin bars look DELICIOUS!
kitchenbelle@ymail.com
comforttable.wordpress.com
Happy birthday!! Mine is on Sunday - September is a good month! The bars look great. I hope you have a WONDERFUL day today!
tasteandtell at gmail dot com
Happy, happy birthday! I would love to win the magazine.
Love the raisinets in the bars.
Happy, happy birthday to you!
Elle, what a super mom you are! Home schooling four kids is quite a job - good for you.
These bars look fantastic! My kids would love them.
chadnpam090801@gmail.com
Happy Birthday Elle!!! Those bars look so good and I can't wait to make them. I love the idea of using chocolate covered raisins!!!
judy at nofearentertaining dot com
Happy birthday Elle! You're so sweet, sending presents our way and it's your birthday! Those bars look delicious. I for one looooove chocolate covered raisins, so I'm making these for me, me, me! lol!
Happy birthday to you!!! Happy Birthday!!!! What a treat to come here and find such delicious recipe...
Elle I love visiting your blog, the way you write is like stopping by a good friends house for coffee & cake!!!
Those bars look wonderful, the kind of thing that would be great to have for breakfast at work too I think.
Sorry Elle, forgot to leave my email, I'm sure you already have it but here it is again kitchengoddess83@yahoo.co.uk
The recipe is brilliant I would never have thought of using chocolate covered raisens like this, The possibilities are endles :)
Tblackthorne@gmail.com
Happy Birthday To You, Happy Birthday To You! And Many More!! Wishing you a great day, Elle.
I homeschool too -- just one boy though.
This looks like a great recipe. Love chocolate covered raisins and TJ's too. :-)
Please enter me in the giveaway. Oh, everybody always says this, but I would really like to win!!
Im bookmarking these. Right up my street and my daughters for that matter
You know what's sad? I realized while reading this that my children have never experienced Raisinettes! What have I been doing the last several years?!?!?
These looks really good, and sound seriously quick and easy. I'd have to hide them from the hubby though. Otherwise they won't last long... :-)
Oh, and an email...
the (underscore) willfords at q.com
Talk about being an enabler - just look at what you've got up today - OMG - please don't send me into the kitchen...please.
Yikes on the cookbook - I'll stop into the store and see if they have any more copies - if they do - for $5.99 I'll pick one up for you.
Goodness gracious. How do you find the time to take such gorgeous photos?..to say nothing about the cooking.
Happy birthday. I hope you enjoy this one and have many more. And giving away Saveur...one of my fave magazines, well...you're awesome.
My email ruth@4everykitchen.com
Wishing you a very happy birthday!! Those bars look wonderful!
I'm very much into raisins right now -- however did you know? Enjoyed this post. And please count me in as a contender for the giveaway (although, should I get lucky, could you contact me thru my blog instead of via e-mail?)! I always took you for a generous person.
Enjoy your birthday, Elle!
Happy Birthday Elle...those bars look absolutely moreish! They're heart warming...& I love the wooden tray they're on; just adds to the magic! YUM!! Hope your day is WONDERFUL!! Cheers
Hey, happy birthday! Hope you had a fab time. Those bars look fab. I'm not a fan of raisins, but I like sultanas. Does that make me weird or just horribly fussy? lol. I'm not going to put down my name for the comp because should my name get drawn out of the hat, you don't even want to KNOW what it would cost to send that mag to NZ! Happy birthday once again :D
Happy Birthday! I love Raisinets-they are my go-to movie candy...I think I would love those bars!
Happy Birthday, Elle!
Happy Birthday. Thanks for the give away on your own birthday. I am compiling ingredients to make your orange ginger brownies. I've had those on my mind for a bit now. I must have them.