Double Stuff Date Squares. - cooking recipe

Ingredients

500 g dates, about 2 cups
3/4 cup orange juice
3/4 cup butter, softened or 3/4 cup soft margarine
2/3 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups rolled oats

Preparation

In a 4 cup(1L) glass bowl, combine dates and orange juice.
Cover and microwave at high for 5-6 minutes, stirring once.
Stir vigorously, breaking up dates to form a homogeneous filling.
Set aside.
In separate bowl, cream butter and brown sugar, stir in flour, add rolled oats, mixing until crumbly.
Press about 2/3 of mixture in bottom of 8\" or 9\" square glass baking dish.
Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, or until firm.
Spread date filling over base.
Top with remaining crumb mixture, pat down lightly.
Microwave on high 5-6 minutes or until firm.
Rotate dish partway through cooking.
Let stand directly on counter top 10 minutes.
Cool completely, cut into squares.
--------------------------------------.
Conventional cooking.
For date filling, increase orange juice to 1 cup.
Cook dates and orange juice in a covered saucepan, stirring occasionally, over medium-low heat 8-10 minutes.
Prepare crumb mixture and assemble squares as directed.
Bake at 350\u00b0 oven 25-30 minutes or until light golden.