http://tinyurl.com/ROSEsDateNutBread

===> --- ROSE's DATE NUT BREAD --- <===

(c)2011 Kirk Gregory Czuhai and Michele Dawn Nash  All Rights Reserved

Hi, Kirk!

I wish you a HAPPY BIRTHDAY, big brother,... and many more to follow!  I would phone you and SING to you, but I am feeling a bit "under the weather"... as they say, so I will save us BOTH the pain of doing that this year.

Instead, I am sending you the recipe for gramma's date nut bread that Lynn wrote-n-asked for about a week ago.  Here it is as follows:

------------------- GRAMMA ROSE's DATE NUT BREAD ----------------
Oven Temp: Bake loaves at 300 deg. (warm oven) for ~1 hour*
*(depending on size/depth of pan)

Prior to assembly of ingredients, put ~ 2 cups water on stove,
and bring to boiling.

INGREDIENTS:
-- Step One --
In large bowl place the following...

2-8 oz. pkg.s pitted, diced dates
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
2 tsp baking soda
1 stick butter

Next: Measure 1 and 1/4 cups boiling hot water and POUR OVER (above) ingredients in Lg. bowl, and let stand (to soften) until cooled to room temp

-- Step 2 --
In smaller bowl BEAT together...

1 cup of sugar + 2 eggs + 1/2 tsp salt,... then, gradually add in 2 cups sifted flour* when mixture becomes too thick/"dry" and difficult to stir, add just a bit of "date mixture" to finish blending in all the flour.  Then, stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract.
---------------
--Step 3 --

ADD the contents of sm. bowl to LG. BOWL and mix well.
Pour final bread "batter" into well-greased loaf pans*

* If giving loaves as gifts, decorate tops w/cherry and/or walnut halves... ** If using muffin tins or shallow cake pans for baking, reduce oven temp slightly and cut bake time to 25-35 min.

Insert toothpick at center of loaf to check if "done"* (i.e., no "wet" date residue on pick)
Remove loaf from pan while still warm-to-the-touch.  Loaves can be stored long-term in the freezer when wrapped tightly in foil. 
-------------------
ENJOY!

Love,
~Michie