Old Fashioned Date Nut Bars

Ingredients

BASE

• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup butter
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 lb walnuts, ground
• 1 lemon, juice and zest of

FILLING

• 2 cups dates, cut fine
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

TOPPING

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter

Directions

1. 1

   Combine filling ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer a few minutes till thickened. Set aside and let cool.

2. 2

   For the base, sift together dry ingredients.

3. 3

   Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs, and dry ingredients and walnuts. Add lemon juice and zest to moisten.

4. 4

   Spread on a cookie sheet and up the sides.

5. 5

   Spread cooled filling over crust.

6. 6

   Combine filling ingredients with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle on top and bake at 375 F for 35-40 minute.

7. 7

   Original recipe calls for the bars to be baked on a cookie sheet pan. We like them thicker, so I put them in a 9 X 13 cake pan.

8. 8

   Cool and cut unto bars.

9. 9

   To serve sprinkle liberally with 10X sugar.