Date and Oat Bars

Our Grandmother used to make date pinwheel cookies that were out of this world!  Date and oat bars remind me of those cookies and add a healthier spin with the oats.

• 2 c dates, pitted and chopped
• 1 t orange rind
• ½ c orange juice
• ½ c water
• 1 c butter, room temperature
• 1 ¼ c flour
• ¾ c brown sugar, packed
• ¼ c sugar
• 2 ¼ c oatmeal
• a pinch of salt

Grease a 13” X 9” baking pan and set aside.

Place the dates, rind, juice and water in a medium pan over medium high heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and cook for five minutes.  Remove from heat and cool slightly and mash mixture.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place the butter, flour, both sugars, oats and salt in a medium bowl.  Mix with a wooden spoon until incorporated.   Press half of the mixture into the prepared baking pan.   Pour the date mixture over oat mixture in pan and evenly distribute.  Place the remaining oat mixture over date mixture, evenly distributing and press slightly.  Bake for forty minutes.  Remove from oven, cool and cut into bars.