I need your recipes for dates!

[jkath]

I just got 3 pounds of pitted dates (yum!) but I can't find my recipe for date bars. But, that may be good, as you all might have much better ideas for these little goodies!
Help me make a wonderful dessert, please!
Thank you thank you!!! :D

[middie]

easy cut them lengthwise not all the way through and fill them with cream cheese. deelish

[mudbug]

Found this one in the pile that hasn't been organized yet. Copying verbatim so 'scuse if the directions are a little weird. Obviously I haven't made this one in a long time...

Date Pudding

Boil together 5 minutes:
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 T butter

1 cup dates, cut fine
1 cup sugar
1 t soda
1 t cinnamon
1 cup sour cream
1-3/4 cup flour, nuts if desired

Mix together, pour syrup in pan. Drop by spoonfuls in boiling syrup. In moderate oven (350). Serve with whipped cream.

Hope you can make sense of this! I notice there is no time mentioned in this recipe.

[crewsk]

Indio Frosted Milk Shake

4 large pitted dates
1/2C. milk
vanilla ice cream

Chop the dates & puree in a blender with milk. Add large scoops of vwnilla ice cream & blend to a thick milk shake. Add more ice cream for thicker shake or more milk for a thinner one.

This came from Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks by David Joachim.

[Audeo]

Beware: while this stuff is a bit time-consuming to make, it is absolutely addictive.

Date Loaf Candy

1 cup milk
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups chopped, pitted dates
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

On a low humidity day, with a calibrated candy thermometer…

In a heavy and large saucepan, cook milk, sugar and butter over medium heat, stirring constantly at first to dissolve sugar, then often, until it reaches the soft ball stage at 234 degrees. Remove from heat and add the dates, nuts and vanilla extract. Stir briskly with a wooden spoon until the mixture is thick and creamy. Allow the candy to cool down a tad. (The stuff is very hot and very dangerous at this point!)

Spoon/dump the candy onto a clean, slightly damp towel (I use flour sack, but will soon be trying out cotton huck) and roll the candy into a long log. It will be between 2 and 3 inches thick. Roll the log completely in the towel and wrap that in waxed paper, then place in the fridge overnight. When completely chilled, cut into rounds and then quarter.

Store between waxed paper sheets in an airtight container.

[jkath]

Thanks all!
I'm looking forward to a wonderful date with my dates now!

[merstarr]

Here's one from my files:

DATE NUT BREAD

Source: California Date Administrative

2 cups California dates, chopped
1 cup hot water
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
½ cup honey
2 Tbsp. butter
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour, sifted
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)

Combine dates, water, sugar, honey and butter: let stand 15 min. Stir in egg and vanilla. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Stir into batter with nuts. Pour into greased loaf pan, bake at 325 F. for 50-60 min (or utnil toothpick in center comes out clean). Cool in pan for 10 min. Remove to rack to cool completely.

(One reviewer served this with cream cheese mixed with honey).

[merstarr]

Here's one from my files:

DATE NUT BREAD

Source: California Date Administrative

2 cups California dates, chopped
1 cup hot water
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
½ cup honey
2 Tbsp. butter
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour, sifted
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)

Combine dates, water, sugar, honey and butter: let stand 15 min. Stir in egg and vanilla. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Stir into batter with nuts. Pour into greased loaf pan, bake at 325 F. for 50-60 min (or utnil toothpick in center comes out clean). Cool in pan for 10 min. Remove to rack to cool completely.

(One reviewer served this with cream cheese mixed with honey).

[merstarr]

Another from my files:

MOROCCAN SPICE BRAISED CHICKEN WITH DATES AND ALMONDS

Source: McCormick®

Traditional North African ingredients, such as dates and almonds, bring sweetness and texture to the golden-colored sauce. Cinnamon's sweet-hot flavor accents this dish.

INGREDIENTS:
3 1/2 pounds chicken pieces
3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion,halved, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Ground Cinnamon
1 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Cumin
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Ginger
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Turmeric
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup pitted and quartered dates, (about 6 ounces)
1/3 cup whole blanched almonds

DIRECTIONS:

Coat chicken with flour. Heat oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add half of the chicken; brown about 5 minutes per side. Remove from skillet. Repeat browning step with remaining chicken, adding onion. Return all chicken to skillet.

Combine cinnamon, cumin, ginger, and turmeric in a small bowl; add to chicken. Stir to evenly coat chicken and onions with spices; sauté 1-2 minutes.

Stir in broth, lemon juice and salt; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in dates and almonds and cook, covered, for 20 minutes. Uncover and simmer another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Makes 8 servings

Edited to say: Sorry, I had a brain lapse - forgot you just wanted desserts!

[kansasgirl]

Some of my favorites.

Date Nut Squares
2 Eggs
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 c Sugar
2 c Dates, finely diced
1/2 c Flour
1 c Chopped walnuts
1/2 ts Baking powder
Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325F. Grease an 8 inch square pan.
1.Beat eggs until foamy. Beat in sugar and vanilla.
2.Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir into egg mixture. Mix in dates and nuts.
3.Bake 25-30 minutes, until top has a dull crust. Cut into 2 inch squares. Cool in pan. Dip in powdered sugar when cool.

Orange Date Bread
1 c Butter, softened
2 c Sugar
3 Eggs
4 c Flour
1 ts Baking soda
1 ts Salt
1 1/3 c Buttermilk
1 c Dates, chopped
1 c Pecans or walnuts, chopped
1 tb Grated orange rind
Glaze:
1/4 c Orange juice
1/2 c Powdered sugar
2 tb Grated orange rind

Preheat oven to 350F
1.Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, beat well.
2.Combine dry ingredients and add alternately with the buttermilk.
3.Fold in walnuts, dates and orange rind.
4.Pour into two 8 1/2 inch greased and floured pans and bake for about an 60 mins. Cool on wire racks. Combine juice, sugar, and orange rind to create a glaze and drizzle over loaves.

Date Tapioca
1 Egg, separated
2 c Milk
3 tb Tapioca
Pinch of Salt
12 Dates, chopped
1 ts Vanilla

1.Beat egg yolk. Mix in saucepan with milk, tapioca and salt. Let stand 5 mins. Beat egg white until stiff; set aside.
2.Bring tapioca mixture to a boil over medium heat. Add dates and cook, stirring constantly 6 to 8 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat, add vanilla. Gently fold tapioca mixture into egg white.
3.Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate until chilled.