A Little Christmas Baking

My secret name is "Grandma Food" and with good reason. I delight in being able to get up a good meal or bake something wonderful and satisfying for my family. My grandchildren - as did my children before them - know that if the old Tupperware pie taker is sitting on the kitchen table, it's most certainly filled with cookies. Very recently, like yesterday, I loaded it up with frosted sugar cookies. Last week it was gingersnaps, a soft chewy cookie I've made for years.

In the coming days I'll re-fill the container and add to the cookies other goodies, like the one I'm sharing with you below. It's the date nut bread recipe handed down from my mother. When I was a little girl she'd make it, wrap it in foil, and we'd nibble on it until it was nothing but crumbs. Dad taught us to slather it with butter. He was always able to take food to the next level. If he were still around I suppose he'd be "Great Grandpa Food." I even seem to recall that this date nut bread recipe was orginally from his sister, our Aunt Delia.

Anyway, maybe you'll give this one a try. It's dark and delicious and a great morning treat with a hot cuppa Joe. And do indulge in a nice slather of butter if you want to treat yourself!

Christmas Date Nut Bread

1 package whole pitted dates

1 cup very hot water

¼ cup soft shortening

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 2/3 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teasspoon salt

½ cup chopped walnuts

Chop the dates finely. Place in bowl and cover with hot water. Set aside.

Combine shortening, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Add alternately to date mixture then add nuts.

Bake at 350 in greased and floured loaf pan for an hour or until inserted paring knife comes out clean. Cool in pan for about five minutes then turn out onto rack. Cool completely then wrap in plastic, then foil to keep.

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