Prepare filling first. Combine dates, hot water, sugar and salt together in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until dates are soft and water is absorbed; add vanilla and let cool. Stir flour and baking soda together; add to oats and brown sugar and mix well. Work in butter with fork until mixture is crumbly. Spread 1/2 the mixture in bottom of a greased 9" square pan (for thinner date squares use a larger pan, 9x13") and pat down; cover with cooled date filling. Pat 1/2 of remaining mixture on top; then sprinkle over lightly with remainder. Bake in a moderate oven (350F) 20 to 25 minutes.

In the years since she has had it, it has had the covers, index and possibly a few recipes go missing (it starts on p. 13). It has one of the old spiral bindings where you could fold the book so that only one page showed. You can also tell which recipes were used repeatedly due to the ingredients all over the page. :)