From the SCCC Kitchen: Cranberry Date Bars great with morning coffee or later for dessert

PHOTOGRAPHER: Jeff Wilkin

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Time for pumpkins, time for apples, time for Indian corn.

Ellen Heekin’s autumn calendar says it’s also time for cranberries and dates. Both fruits are in the mix for her Cranberry Date Bars.

“They have oatmeal in them, they taste a little bit like a granola bar, but they’re made a little differently,” Heekin said, adding she likes to team up similar fruits in her recipes.

Dates may not be the first choice for some home chefs. Heekin said people might be surprised at their versatility.

“You can stuff dates as appetizers, you can braise your chicken and put dates in the chicken. They’re found in salads,” she said.

The cranberry date bars are also versatile. Heekin said they’re great for morning coffee snacks and as desserts for lunch and dinner.

Cranberry Date Bars

1 package (12 ounces) cranberries

1 package (8 ounces) dates, preferably diced

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups old-fashioned oats

1 1⁄2 cups (packed) brown sugar

1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, melted

Simmer cranberries, dates and water in a small saucepan until thickened. Stir occasionally so the fruit doesn’t stick. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Stir in butter until well blended. Place half of this dry mixture in a 13-by-9-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.

Spoon cranberry mixture over crust. Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the cranberry mixture. Pat gently. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool and cut into bars.

Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar

2 to 3 tablespoons orange juice

1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix ingredients together and drizzle over cooled bars.