PINA COLADA SQUARES

 –  Adapted from Page 238 of Better Homes and Gardens New Baking Book

My son loves these bars so much that upon his request I brought  these bars to his school for his birthday celebration.  He prefers these bars to cupcakes.  The rest of the class loved them also.  These little bites of tropical paradise are made with whole grains (wheat and oats), and half the sugar of most recipes.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1 cup all-purpose flour, and 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour)

2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats

½  cup packed brown sugar

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup butter cut into squares to blend in with a pastry blender

1 ( 12 oz.) container pineapple ice-cream topping

1 cup coconut

-          In large mixing bowl combine the flour, oats, brown sugar and baking soda.  Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Reserve 1 cup of the crumb mixture for topping.  Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 13X9X2 inch baking pan.

-          Spread pineapple topping evenly over the crust

-          For topping, stir coconut into reserved crumb mixture.  Sprinkle topping evenly over the pineapple filling.  Bake in a 350 degree oven about 30 minutes or until golden.  Cool.  Cut into bars.