The weather the past few days has been my kind of winter. It’s above freezing and it’s melting the snow. Yes! Of course there is a ton of snow to go and it will be below freezing this week but progress is being made. 🙂
We’ve had some lovely days with nary a cloud in the sky. Our seed trays are set up and the seedlings are showing up to be counted. There are a few of us in the neighbourhood that have the grow lights going now. We give off the impression that the munchies are on their way. But no, the wildest thing we have growing is some spicy salad mix.
The kids are on school holiday this week so I have a feeling there will be several PJ days. Yesterday I baked some date bars for the week to give them a bit of a treat. My mum used to make these and every once in awhile they show up as a treat for us as well. They don’t last long! My son got hooked on them when my mum had him help bake them a few years ago. My kind of tradition.
Pre-heat the oven to 375F/190C.
This is my mum’s recipe but I’m not sure where she got it from. I did increase a few things as my baking pan was a bit bigger than what she called for. In a small saucepan combine 8oz of chopped dates, 3/4 cup sugar, and 1 cup cold water.
Simmer until it has thickened stirring regularly so it doesn’t stick on the bottom.
While the dates are cooking combine in a large mixing bowl, 2 cups of quick oats, 1 cup sugar, 1 1/2 cup flour, 1 tsp baking soda.
Once the dates are ready melt 3/4 cups of butter and mix that in with the oats until it is evenly distributed. Press half the mixture into an 8 x 11 pan.
Spread the date mixture over the oats.
Spread the rest of the oats over the dates and carefully tamp down without squishing the dates up through the oats. Bake for about 25 minutes.
Try to let it cool. 🙂 The warmer it is the more flimsy the bars are and it gets a bit messy!
I should make these more often as they aren’t difficult but they taste wonderful. 🙂
So a side note: I’ve noticed on a couple of my posts I’m getting a ton of spam messages. I block, trash, and state they are spam but any advice on how to get it to stop? It’s annoying.
These look very tasty. I too am being inundated with offers of handbags, cars and other spurious stuff. Askimet seems to be doing it’s job as only a very few of them get through. I don’t know what one can do about it.
It only just started so I wonder if it’s because I’m over a certain number if followers? Don’t these people have something better to do?
This is so simple to make and looks delicious!
Thanks, the kids were more than happy to quality check. 🙂
This looks like a dessert we would definitely like. I will have to make it as soon as I get the dates.
I think getting spam on our blogs is probably the norm for all of us. At least WordPress sends them into a file and we don’t have to sort them out ourselves – just delete.
Oh my, these are trouble!! I could totally go for one with a cup of hot tea and Downton Abbey. Sometimes I try to be good and only buy dried fruit for sweet snacks. But I could eat my weight in dates and dried pineapple more than any “sweets” so I don’t think this strategy is working at all. haha
There is a lot of sugar in these! But I try to tell myself oats and dates are good for you. LOL
A great title for a post! And a great recipe too:)
Glad you like the title! Trying to be witty without being cheesy. 😄
You were indeed witty with the title. But I know that you have recipes with cheese in them, so it is OK to be cheesy too. 🙂 🙂 🙂
LOL, this started my day with a laugh!
I shall try them – they look delicious. – So glad you mentioned the Spam – i thought it was only me – I’m getting as many as a thousand a day, which of course I just empty… but they are annoying…as you say, thank heavens for Akismet
Thought I was being hacked as so far it’s only showing up for two craft posts. As annoying as it is I’m glad to hear it’s most of us and I’m not being targeted.
Great recipe. My wife is mad for dates, and we always have a large jar of them in the kitchen…..right next to the jar of oats! I’ll be making these. Nice one:)
Then she is in for a treat! Dates are such a lovely ingredient.
Yum, Yum! You just brought back a ton of memories with those! My Mom used to make those when I was a kid:)
Oh that’s wonderful! 😊
This looks absolutely fab! What a treat!
They are almost gone! Guess I’ll have to make more. 🙂
An old Sturbridge Village cookbook, 1950, maybe. Try them with coffee ice cream (my favorite with these bars) or French vanilla. I need to get my old recipe books to Staples to have them rebound. Over use:)
Of course, I forgot about that old cookbook. I love sharing what you used to bake for us with the kids. 🙂