#3484 - Gooey Walnut Crackers

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup walnuts (finely chopped)
1 cup dates (finely chopped)
1 - 14oz. can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk
2 sleeves of Ritz crackers (more if needed)
1/2 cup Domino's powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
regular milk (as needed)
1 tsp. vanilla

Place Ritz crackers on baking sheets. In a saucepan over medium low heat add condensed milk, chopped walnuts and chopped dates--cook/stir until boiling. Turn heat back to simmer and cook/stir until mixture is gooey. Remove from heat--drop a level teaspoonful of the gooey mixture on to each Ritz cracker. Continue until you run out of the gooey mixture. Bake crackers at 350 degrees for 5-8 minutes or until cracker edges are golden brown. Let the crackers on the cookie sheets and cool them completely. Glaze: in a bowl add powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and a little milk--stir. Keep adding milk and stirring until mixture is a thick glaze, then stir quickly until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled crackers.

#2969 - Hope Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup Crisco shortening
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. allspice
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 orange (for the juice and zest)
3/4 cup chopped almonds
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup dates (chopped into very small pieces)

In a saucepan add raisins--cover them with water, bring to a boil, boil them for 5 minutes, then drain them. In a mixer add Crisco, white sugar and eggs--beat. Add baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and vanilla--beat. Add buttermilk--beat. Peel the orange and squeeze out the juice--add orange juice to batter--beat. Grate just the outside of the orange peel (zest) and add it to the batter--beat. Add flour--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add chopped almonds, drained raisins and chopped dates--stir until mixed. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Frost as desired.

#2717 - Date Nut Bars

(by Aunt Faye [Herman] Minier)

1lb. dates (finely chopped)
1 cup chopped nuts
3 eggs
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla

In a mixer add eggs and white sugar--beat. Add baking powder and vanilla--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Add chopped dates and chopped nuts--beat. Press the mixture into a greased 8 x 8 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Cool completely. Dust the top with powdered sugar. Cut into bars or squares.

#2709 - Michigan Rock Cookies

(by Aunt Faye [Herman] Minier)

1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup Crisco shortening
1 tsp. cinnamon
4 eggs
3 cups flour
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1lb. dates (chopped)
1 cup chopped English walnuts

In a mixer add white sugar, butter and Crisco--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add cinnamon, vanilla and baking soda--beat. Add flour--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add chopped dates and chopped walnuts--stir with a wooden spoon until mixed. Drop by spoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

#2300 - Cherry Cornflake Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup softened butter
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 TBSP milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup finely chopped dates
1/3 cup finely chopped maraschino cherries
2 2/3 cups corn flakes cereal (crushed--crush after measuring)
15 maraschino cherries (each cherry cut into 4 pieces so you end up with 60 pieces)

In a bowl add flour, baking powder and salt--stir. In a mixer add butter and white sugar--beat. Add eggs, milk and vanilla--beat. Add flour mixture--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add chopped nuts, chopped dates and chopped cherries--stir. Shape dough into 1 TBSP sized balls. Put corn flakes into a bowl--roll each dough ball in the crushed corn flakes. Place dough balls on greased cookie sheets. Place one cherry piece in the center of each cookie. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

#2288 - Golden Date Cake

(by Aunt Betty [Herman] Arnold)

1/2 cup Crisco shortening
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup finely chopped dates
1/2 cup chopped black walnuts
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups flour + 2 TBSP flour

In a mixer add Crisco, white sugar and eggs--beat. Add baking powder, salt and vanilla--beat. Add milk--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add chopped dates and chopped black walnuts--stir. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar before serving if you wish.

#2287 - Polka Dater Cake

(by Harriet Weaver - friend)

1 1/4 cups finely chopped dates
1 cup boiling water
1 cup softened butter
1 1/4 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate bits
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

In a bowl add chopped dates and boiling water--stir, then let it cool to room temperature--set aside. In a mixer add butter, white sugar and eggs--beat. Add baking soda and vanilla--beat. Add date mixture--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Sprinkle the chocolate chips and chopped walnuts evenly over the top of the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Cool completely. Frosting not necessary but you can sprinkle powdered sugar over the top if you wish.

#602 - Cherrywink Cookies

(by Aunt Betty [Herman] Arnold)

2 3/4 cups Kellogg's Corn Flakes
2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup softened Parkay margarine
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 TBSP milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup maraschino cherries (drained, dried on paper towels, then chopped into small pieces)
18 maraschino cherries (drained, dried on paper towels, and sliced into halves)

Measure corn flakes so you have 2 3/4 cups--place them in a Ziploc bag and crush them--set aside. In a small bowl add flour, baking powder and salt--stir and set aside. In a mixer add Parkay and white sugar--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add milk and vanilla--beat. Add flour mixture--beat well. Remove bowl from mixer and add dates and the 1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries--stir with a wooden spoon. Shape dough into walnut sized balls and roll each ball in the crushed cornflakes--place finished ones on greased cookie sheets. Place a cherry half on the top center of each cookie ball. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets IMMEDIATELY.

#302 - Pinwheel Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup Parkay margarine
1/2 cup Domino's dark brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 lb. chopped dates
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup chopped black walnuts

In an mixer, combine Parkay, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup white sugar, egg, vanilla and beat well. Add baking soda, salt, and slowly add flour--if too stiff for mixer, continue by hand. Store batter in covered bowl in refrigerator overnight. The next day, remove dough from refrigerator and divide into two equal amounts. Date filling: In a saucepan, combine chopped dates, 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup water and set heat on medium. Cook and stir until it thickens. Once it's thick, add the black walnuts and stir. Allow it to cool. On a lightly floured surface, place 1 section of the dough and sprinkle flour over the top. Roll dough with a rolling pin to 1/4" thick rectangle (12" x 8" approximately). Spread 1/2 of the date filling over the dough (like buttering bread--use a butter knife). Start at long end of the roll, use a spatula to slide underneath, and roll it up like a jelly roll. Repeat spreading dates and rolling with 2nd section of dough. When you have both logs rolled, slice each in half and wrap each in saran wrap. Place both rolls in a long cake pan and refrigerate overnight. The next day, remove dough logs from refrigerator, remove saran wrap, and place on a cutting board. Slice cookies about 1/4" thick for each cookie. Place on greased cookie sheets and bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Place paper towels on top of your heat proof surface and place saran wrap on top of the paper towels--remove cookies from oven and place them on the saran wrap covered paper towels and let them cool.