Holiday Fruit Bars
¾ cup shortening
1 ½ cup sugar
1 cup dark raisins
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup applesauce
1 ½ cup water
1 cup candied fruit
1 cup chopped dates
1 teaspoon each cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves
1 ½ teaspoon soda
2 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups flour
1 cup chopped nuts
Preheat oven to 375. Cook shortening, sugar, raisins, applesauce, water, fruit, dates and spices until slowly boiling, stirring often. Remove from heat; cool to warm and stir in soda. Add remaining ingredients and stir until smooth. Spread in greased 17 x 11 pan. Bake 30-35 minutes. Cool, frost, and cut – lemon glaze is especially good on this.
