Apricot-Cherry Bars With Oatmeal Crumble Topping

Ingredients

• 2 cups almonds sliced
• 8 tablespoons butter 
• 2 cups apricots dried coarsely chopped
• 2 cups cherries dried
• 1 cup flour all-purpose
• 0.8 cup brown sugar light packed
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats 
• 0.3 teaspoon salt 
• 2 cups coconut or sweetened flaked
• 14 ounce condensed milk sweetened canned

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• baking pan
• spatula

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 13-by-9-inch Pyrex baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, oats, brown sugar and salt. Stir in butter with a fork until well mixed and clumps have formed.
3. Spread 1 1/2 packed cups of oat mixture over the bottom of the pan, pressing to form a thin crust.
4. Mix coconut, almonds, cherries, apricots and milk in a large bowl.
5. Pour over crust, using a rubber spatula to evenly distribute and press down.
6. Sprinkle remaining oat mixture over dried fruit filling.
7. Bake until lightly golden, about 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature. (You can cover and store at room temperature up to 2 days.)
8. To serve, cut into generous 1 1/2-inch squares.