Date Bars

1 ½ cups chopped pitted dates
1 cup orange juice
¼ cup sugar
salt
1 ½ cups flour (or GF flour)
1 ½ cups oatmeal
½ cups packed brown sugar
¾ cup margarine

In 2-quart saucepan over high heat, heat dates, orange juice, sugar and ¼ tsp salt to boiling. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture is very thick.

Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 9" baking pan. In medium-sized bowl, mix flour, oats, brown sugar and ¼ tsp. Salt. With pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Pat half of oat mixture into bottom of pan. Evenly spread date mixture on top of oat layer. Pat remaining oat mixture onto date layer. Bake 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

Cool in pan on wire rack.
When cold, cut into pieces.
Store in tightly covered container.

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