Date Bars

1 1/2 cups chopped pitted dates
1 cups lemonade
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup almonds slivers
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1/2 packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter

In a 2-quart saucepan over high heat, cook dates, lemonade, sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt to boiling.  Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes or until mixture is very thick, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat; stir in almonds.  

Preheat oven to 375ºF.  Grease and flour a 9" by 9" baking pan.  In medium bowl, mix flour, oats, brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt.  With pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Pat half of oat mixture into bottom of pan.  Evenly spread date mixture on top of oat layer.  Pat remaining oat mixture gently but firmly on date layer.  Bake 30 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool in pan on wire rack.  Cut into eighteen pieces.  Store in tightly covered container.