Apricot Oatmeal Bars - A Perfect Midday Treat

Try these bars - they are yummy!  As a kid, I loved to eat dried apricots as a snack.  The problem was that I couldn't stop and would eat the entire bag in one sitting!

Apricot Oatmeal Bars

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter, cut up
• 1 cup dried apricots
• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

• melt butter
• preheat oven to 350
• mix together oats, flour, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon
• add cut up apricots, melted butter and vanilla - mix well
• line a 9" square baking pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease
• spread dough in pan - press with fingers to fill entire bottom of the pan
• bake 35 - 40 minutes or until top is golden brown
• cool completely before lifting foil out