Recipe: Holiday Fruit Bars (using oats, Sun-Maid Fruit Bits and banana

This is the only recipe for fruit bars on the website now. For older recipes you might want to contact the newspaper directly to see if they have archives.

HOLIDAY FRUIT BARS
Source: Indystar.com, 2007 holiday cookie contest

Cook's notes:
I like to think this is a healthy treat, completely ignoring the two sticks of butter. I enjoy making this every Christmas and so does my family.

One (7 oz.) package Sun-Maid Fruit Bits
1 cup chopped bananas ( 2 medium)
2/3 cup orange juice
1 tsp. apple pie spice or ground cinnamon, divided use
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1-3/4 cup regular flour or whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup Quaker Oats (Quick or Old Fashioned, uncooked)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Heat over to 375 degrees F.

Combine first four ingredients (fruit, bananas, orange juce and cinnamon) in medium bowl, set aside, stirring occasionally.

In large bowl, beat together butter and sugar until creamy. Add combined flour, oats and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon; beat until crumbly and reserve 3/4 cup oat mixture for topping. Press remaining oat mixture onto bottom of 13 x 9 inch baking pan.

Bake 15 minutes.

Spread fruit mixture evenly over crust to within 1/4 inch of edge. Combine nuts and reserved oat mixture; spring evely over fruit. Pat down lightly.

Bake 16 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely; cut into bars. Store loosely covered.