Delicious Oatmeal Date Bar Recipe

A good date bar recipe is a great way to introduce your family to the luscious taste of this highly nutritious fruit full of amazing health benefits directly from Hashem. It's such a special fruit, no wonder dates are one of the siminam, symbolic foods we eat on Rosh Hashanah as well as among the Seven Species of food for which the land of Israel is praised.

Date layer:

3 cups dried dates, chopped

1 1/2 cups water

2 1/2 tablespoons orange juice

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh orange peel, grated or 1/2 teaspoon dried

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon margarine

Crust:

2 1/2 cups oatmeal

3/4 cup walnuts, almond, or pecans, optional

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cup brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

8 ounces margarine, chilled and cut into tablespoons

1. Combine dates, water orange juice and orange peel in a saucepan, bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 15 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat add vanilla and margarine and stir until margarine is melted. Set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9” x 13” baking pan with shortening or baking spray. Place crust ingredients in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. Do not over mix

3. Firmly press 2/3 of crust mixture in the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake 15 minutes.

4. Spread date mixture over crust. Sprinkle remaining oatmeal mixture over the top. Bake 20-30 minutes until crumble topping begins to turn golden. Remove from oven and cool before cutting into squares.

I hope you try "Cooking for The King's" Delicious Oatmeal Date Bar Recipe ~ and see how it benefits both your body and your soul~ here's how.