Fruit Filled Oatmeal Bars

FRUIT FILLED OATMEAL BARS

Ingredients
2 cups flour

2  cups oatmeal

1 1/3  cups firmly packed brown sugar

½   teaspoon baking soda

¼  teaspoon salt

1  cup butter, softened

For the Raisin or Mixed Fruit Bits Filling:

2  cups water

½  cup sugar
2  cups Sun-Maid Fruit Bits or raisins

8  teaspoons cornstarch

Instructions
1.  In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, 

baking soda, salt and butter with your finger tips. Combine until mixture is coarse.

2.  Reserve 1 ½  cups of the mixture, set aside.

3.  Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of a 13 by 9 inch pan.  Set aside.

4.  In a small saucepan, combine all the filling ingredients.
5.  Cook and stir the filling ingredients over a medium/high heat until thickened and bubbly, this usually takes about 6-7 minutes.
6.  Spread the cooked fruit filling over the bottom crust.

7.  Sprinkle the top of the fruit filling with the reserved oatmeal mixture.

8.  Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes.

9.  Cool in pan.  
10.  Cut.  
11.  Serve chilled.