Date Recipes:

Anyone who has tasted a fresh date knows the crispness, coolness and honey-like sweetness of this common Middle Eastern jewel; they never forget its flavor. .In the date-growing areas around the world, (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Isreal,India) many people have dates and milk for breakfast. Dates appear in all sorts of recipes, stewed in meat sauces, cooked and flavored as a dessert or made into a thick molasses syrup. Dates are rich in fiber, potassium, B-complex vitamins, magnesium and iron.

Following are some recipes using dates, both sweet and savory. Most are suitable for any occasion, some are exotically delicious.

Stuffed Dates

8 oz. box pitted dried dates
3 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup powdered sugar plus extra for dusting
1 tbsp. grated orange peel

Make a slit down each date. Mix together cream cheese, powdered sugar and orange peel. Fill each date with cream cheese mix. Refrigerate. Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar just before serving.

Other delicious stuffings: Peanut butter, almonds, walnuts, pecans, ricotta cheese, marzipan

Date-Almond Truffles

1 1/4 cups toasted slivered almonds

1 cup pitted dates

1 tablespoon orange blossom water (available in Middle Eastern

groceries)

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamo

1/2 cup shredded coconut

In food processor, blend almonds, dates, orange blossom water, honey, and cinnamon until finely chopped. Alternately, chop nuts and dates well and mix with other ingredients.

Form into 1-inch balls. Roll in coconut, pressing to coat lightly. Place them in miniature paper candy cups. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Stuffed Date Cookies

1 lb. pitted dates
24 walnuts, halved

Dough:

1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Put a nut piece inside each date.

Mix dough ingredients together.

Cover each nut-stuffed date with dough. Put on cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees 8-10 minutes. Cool.

Frosting:

1/3 cup butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Heat butter to boiling until light brown, about 6 minutes. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Add hot water until frosting is easy to spread.

Spread frosting on each cookie.

Tropical Date Loaf

1 cup chopped dates

1/2 cup boiling water

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

2/3 cup flour

1/4 cup shredded coconut

Soak dates in the water for 15 minutes.

Cream butter and sugar, then add the egg. Stir in the flour, coconut and dates.

Spread into a greased, floured loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 40 minutes.

Stand for 5 minutes before turning out on a rack to cool.

Orange Date Cake

1 1/2 cups butter

3 cups sugar

6 eggs, separated

2 cups buttermilk

3 Tbsp. grated orange rind

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 lb. chopped dates

2 1/2 cups pecans, chopped

6 cups flour

Glaze:

3 cups sugar

3/4 cup orange juice

2 to 3 tbsp. finely grated orange peel

Cream butter and 1 1/2cups sugar until light. Beat egg yolks until lemon colored. Add to creamed mixture. Add buttermilk and grated orange peel. Mix well.

Toss dates and pecans with 1 cup of the flour until well coated.

Mix remaining flour and other dry ingredients. Add add to creamed mixture. Stir in with nuts and dates.

Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold gently into batter. Pour into greased and floured Bundt cake pan and bake at 400 for one hour and fifteen minutes, or until toothpick inserted in middle of cake comes out clean.

Remove from oven, invert on plate.

Combine glaze ingredients and drizzle on cake while cake is still hot.

Date-Oat Quick Bread

2 1/2 cups flour

21/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup quick rolled oats

8 ounces dates, chopped

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 1/4 cups milk

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix flour, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in sugar. Stir in oats and dates.

In a separate small bowl, beat egg with milk, then stir in melted butter and vanilla. Add to flour mixture and stir until evenly moist.