Bars: Oven 375°F. Stir together flour, oats, brown sugar and soda. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.

Pat firmly, 2/3 of the crumbs, in the bottom of an ungreased 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Spread with hot filling. Sprinkle evenly with chopped almonds. Top with remaining crumb mixture. Smooth and pat very gently.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until top is just starting to get golden brown. Cool well on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes 20 to 25 bars. Optional icing may be added after well cooled.

Filling:  In a saucepan combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in fruit and water, cook and stir until bubbly.

Hints:  If you pat the first crumbs into the pan real well, spreading the filling will be much easier. This recipe works well with any dried fruit filling. My favorite is the Trader Joe’s, Golden Berry Blend with Raisins, Cherries, Cranberries and Blueberries. If you use something like dried apricots just make sure they are diced to about raisin size. This is a treat my run group loves with post-run coffee, when you want something tasty but not overly sweet. They disappear quickly!