Instructions: Preheat oven 450F. Spread oats on a baking sheet; bake at 450 for 3 minutes or until lightly toasted, shaking the pan once. Let cool completely.

Combine 1 cup toasted oats, flour, sugar, baking powder and soda, salt and nutmeg. Cut in the margarine with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add dates; toss well. Add buttermilk and vanilla, stirring just until moist.

Turn down out onto a lightly floured surface; with floured hands, knead lightly 4 times. Pat dough into a 9-inch circle on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Brush melted margarine over dough; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup toasted oats. Cut dough into 12 wedges, separating wedges slightly. Bake at 450F for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.

NOTES : TESTED half the recipe with soy margarine and raisin instead of dates. Sprayed the round dough and pressed the oats; thereby omitting the melted margarine. Baked 10 minutes. REVIEW: Good texture and flavor but too dry to be served at breakfast unless served as a cookie with fruit and yogurt. Wanted to slather it with gobs of margarine or jam. -Pat and Bob 9/99 Next time I make Buttermilk biscuits, I will toast some oats to add. Since I halved the recipes, I could use the toaster oven; used the "brown top" setting. Scones are short bread cookies - and these were a bit too dry for us.

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