3/4 cup butter or margarine
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups quick-cooking oats, uncooked
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 can cherry filling
2 tablespoons ganulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Put butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well mixed. Combine flour, oats and baking soda. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; mix on low speed until crumbly.
Spread two-thirds of the oats mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Press down to make firm layer.
*Note: Instead of cherry pie filling, cook 1 quart pitted sour cherries with 1 cup sugar and 5 tbsp. cornstarch until thick, stirring frequently.Puree cherry filling in an electric blender or food processor until smooth. Pour pureed cherry filling into a medium saucepan. Combine granulated sugar and cornstarch; stir into cherry filling. Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until mixture is thick and bubbly. Stir in almond extract. Pour cherry mixture evenly over oat layer. Sprinkle remaining oats mixture over cherry mixture. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown.
