September 5th:

Fruit and Oat Squares


“Everyone is the age of their heart.” -Guatemalan Proverb

All hail grandparents!  In 1978, President Jimmy Carter proclaimed that National Grandparents Day would be celebrated every year on the first Sunday after Labor Day.  Grandparents Day was the original concept by a West Virginia housewife named Marian McQuade.

Ms. McQuade’s primary vision for Grandparents Day was to motivate the younger crowd to spend time with lonely, elderly people in nursing homes.  It was also intended to inspire the younger generations to maybe learn a thing or two from the lives of the more experienced generation.

In honor of all the grandparents out there, you will find a very easy to prepare and tasty treat our grandparents use to enjoy in the “old” days.

Fruit and Oat Squares

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup quick cooking oats
  • ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
  • ¾ cup apricot, cherry, or other fruit preserve
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray; set aside.
  2. Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in medium bowl; mix well.
  3. Add butter; stir with fork until mixture is crumbly.
  4. Reserve ¾ cup crump mixture for topping. Press remaining crumb mixture evenly onto the bottom of prepared pan.
  5. Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly browned.
  6. Spread preserves over crust; sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.
  7. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
  8. Cool completely in pan on wire rack before cutting into squares.

Looking for something to do today?

Visit a nursing home!  Nursing homes and their residents love welcoming guests with open arms and hearts.  Consider bringing a treat to share with the residents of the nursing home too.  It can be a sweet treat (get permission before handing out), a book or a newspaper, pictures, or artwork!

Visiting a nursing home may seem silly at first or a waste of time, but once you are there and you see the joy on the faces of people you have visited with, it will be well worth your time!