Date Bar recipe from 2000 good house keeping bake sale issue?

Question

My mom makes these date bars every year, and somehow lost the recipe. She said it was in a 2000 issue of Good Housekeeping, in an issue about bake sales or a section about bake sales, something like that. She said they weren't called date bars, but the main ingredient is dates, and the best way to describe them is date bars. I know it's a longshot, but if anyone has the recipe, it would be the best Christmas present ever! And it would help bring peace to my house :)

Answer 1

If you can't get the exact recipe this might fill the void, you can try the library:

America's Date Bar
Ingredients:

2 eggs
1 cup light brown sugar, pack in cup
3/4 cup sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup dates, cut fine
1 cup nut meats, cut
1 teaspoon vanilla
few grains salt

Directions:

Beat eggs, stir in sugar. Sift flour, salt and baking powder together. Blend all ingredients. Pour into greased 9-inch square pan lined with heavy paper and oiled. Bake about 35 minutes in moderate oven. When cool remove paper. Cut into squares and dust with powdered sugar.

Answer 2

I believe this may be the one you are looking for. I jotted it down from a special edition but not sure which.

Date Bars
1/2 cup sliced almonds -- sliced
1/4 cup margarine -- softened
1 cup all-purpose flour -- divided
1/2 cup brown sugar -- packed
orange flavored liqueur
1/2 cup orange juice
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped pitted dates -- chopped
powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In 1 cup measuring cup, toast almonds in microwave, stir occasionally until done. Set aside. In mixing bowl, beat margarine with electric mixer on medium- high speed for 30 seconds. In same bowl, add flour, brown sugar, splash of orange flavored liqueur, orange juice, egg, baking powder and baking soda. Beat until thoroughly mixed. Beat in cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir in toasted almonds and dates. Pour batter into an ungreased 11 x 7 x 1 1/2" baking dish. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut into bars. Approximately 27 minutes.