Cranberry-Caramel Bars

Ingredients

• 0.5 teaspoon baking soda 
• 0.5 cup firmly brown sugar light packed
• 1 cup butter melted
• 12 ounce mrs richardson's butterscotch caramel sauce 
• 1 cup cranberries fresh
• 10 ounce dates chopped
• 2.3 cups flour all-purpose divided
• 2 cups regular oats uncooked
• 0.8 cup pecans chopped
• 0.5 cup sugar 
• 2 tablespoons sugar 

Equipment

• bowl
• oven
• wire rack
• baking pan

Directions

1. Stir together cranberries and 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Combine 2 cups flour and next 4 ingredients; stir in melted butter until crumbly. Reserve 1 cup flour mixture. Press remaining mixture into bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
3. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
4. Sprinkle with dates, pecans, and cranberry mixture. Stir together caramel sauce and remaining 1/3 cup flour; spoon over cranberries.
5. Sprinkle with reserved 1 cup flour mixture.
6. Bake 20 more minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.
7. Cut into bars.