Oatmeal Dream Dates
Made and served by Marie Mobley at the Ladies Ornament Party

1 8 oz pkg pitted dates, coarsely chopped
1 ½ cups Tropicana orange juice
2 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 ½ cups firmly packed brown sugar
½ tsp salt (optional)
¾ lb (3 sticks) margarine or butter, chilled and cut into pieces
2 cups Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 ½ cups shredded coconut, divided
1 cup chopped nuts

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine dates and orange juice, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Cut in margarine with a pastry blender or 2 knives until crumbly. Stir in oats, 1 cup coconut and nuts.
4. Reserve 4 cups oat mixture for topping. Press remaining oat mixture evenly onto bottom of an ungreased 13 by 9 inch baking pan. Spread date mixture over crust to within ¼ inch of edges. Sprinkle with reserved oat mixture. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup coconut, patting gently.
5. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes 36 bars.

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