Spirited Southern Sweet Potato Bars

2 cups oats (quick or old-fashioned), uncooked
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes or canned pumpkin
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons bourbon or 1/2 teaspoon rum extract (optional)
1 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch metal baking pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine oats and flour; mix well. Transfer 2/3 cup to small bowl and add salt and red pepper; set aside for filling.

To remaining oat-flour mixture, add butter, sugar and vanilla extract; blend with an electric mixer on low to medium speed until crumbly. Reserve 1 cup for topping. Press remaining mixture evenly onto bottom of pan. Bake 15 minutes; remove from oven.

In separate bowl, combine sweet potatoes, eggs, brown sugar, bourbon and reserved 2/3 cup oat flour-red pepper mixture; mix well. Spread filling over warm crust. Add nuts to reserved 1 cup topping mixture; mix well. Sprinkle evenly over filling, patting lightly.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until topping is light golden brown.

Cool in pan on wire rack; cut into bars. Serve at room temperature. Store in refrigerator tightly covered.

Makes 32 bars.

Per bar: Cal 160 (51% fat) Fat 9 g (4 g sat) Fiber 1 g Chol 30 mg Sodium 65 mg Carb 18 g