AUNT JENNY’S DATE OAT BARS
By Gloria Pitzer, as seen in… The Original 200 Plus Secret Recipes© Book (Secret RecipesTM, Marysville, MI; June 1997, p. 4).
INGREDIENTS:
¼ cup sugar
3 cups dates, cut up
1½ cups water
1½ cups Spry or Crisco or butter
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 cup packed brown sugar
1¾ cups flour
½ tsp [baking] soda
½ tsp salt
1½ cups rolled oats
1 cup chopped walnuts
½ cup chopped maraschino cherries (optional)
Powdered sugar (for garnish)
INSTRUCTIONS:
In saucepan, combine sugar, dates, and water. Cook a few minutes, until thick, stirring often. Let cool and set aside to use as filling.
Combine everything else, blending well [then] dividing it in half. Press half into a greased 13-inch oblong baking pan. Spread filling evenly over that. Sprinkle rest of crust mixture over filling and press lightly to achieve an even crust. Bake at 400°F for 25-30 minutes or until light brown. Cut into 30 bars while warm. Dust in powdered sugar. Refrigerate to use in a week. Freeze to use in 3 months.
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