Chocolate Date,oat & Nut Bars

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 2/3 cup hot water
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups chopped dates
• 1 cup butter or 1 cup margarine
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 1/2 cups sifted flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 1 1/2 cups quick oats

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°.
• 2 melt the chocolate in hot water over low heat and add granulated sugar; stir until dissolved.
• 3 add dates and cook over low heat for 5 minutes.
• 4 blend in 1/4 cup butter and vanilla extract.
• 5 let mixture cool.
• 6 cream 3/4 cup butter and the brown sugar until fluffy.
• 7 sift together the flour, salt and baking soda.
• 8 add to creamed mixture and blend well, then add in the nuts and oats.
• 9 mix until crumbly.
• 10 press 1/2 onto bottom of a greased 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan.
• 11 add the date mixture, then top with remainder of nut mixture.
• 12 bake 30 minutes.