Easy Cherry Desert

[Kermit]

I adapted this from an old version of The Joy of Cooking to make it lower in fat and more healthy. It's still really good.

1 can cherries in syrup (blackberries work well, too)
1-1/2 TBSP quick cooking tapioca
1/4 cup butter or margerine
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
3/4 cup sugar
2 TBSP molasses
1 cup oatmeal
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup wheat germ or flour
1/2 tsp each baking powder, baking soda, and salt

Drain cherries, reserving juice. Combine 1/2 cup juice with tapioca; let stand 15 minutes to thicken.

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 8 inch square pan.

Melt butter. Add remaining ingredients. Spread about half of mixture over bottom of pan. Sprinkle cherries on top, and pour thickened juice over all. Top with remaining half of batter.

Bake for 30-35 minutes. Best served warm with Cool Whip.

 

[Beth E. (NJ)]

This sounds really good. I don't know what you changed from the original, but I like it.

 

[Kermit]

The original had more butter (instead of half butter and half applesauce) and 1-1/2 cups of brown sugar. I was able to use less sugar by switching to granulated since it's a little sweeter. I also substituted some of the flour with wheat germ. You could probably use part regular flour, part wheat flour instead.