Grandma Renees Date Nut Loaf Recipes

GRANDMA'S DATE-NUT BREAD

Steps:

• Put raisins in a bowl. Pour boiling water over raisins; soak until raisins have flavored the water, about 20 minutes. Drain raisins, reserving the water. Discard raisins.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a loaf pan with butter.
• Bring reserved water to a boil in a small saucepan. Measure 3/4 cup boiling water into a bowl. Stir baking soda into water.
• Put dates and prunes in a large bowl. Pour baking soda-water over dates and prunes; add unsalted butter and stir until melted. Stir sugar and vanilla extract into the fruit mixture; let cool to room temperature.
• Stir egg into the fruit mixture to evenly coat. Mix flour and salt together in a small bowl; add to fruit mixture and stir. Fold walnuts into the mixture and pour into the prepared loaf pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 65 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

GREAT-GRANDMA CATHY'S DATE LOAF CANDY

Steps:

• Stir sugar, milk, and butter together in a saucepan; bring to a boil without stirring once the boiling begins. Heat until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a rigid ball or until the mixture reaches 250 degrees F (120 degrees C), about 20 minutes. Immediately remove saucepan from heat and stir dates, pecans, and vanilla into the milk mixture.
• Thoroughly wet a piece of cheesecloth and lay out onto a flat work surface. Pour the candy mixture into the middle of the cloth and roll the cloth around it to shape into a log.
• Refrigerate until hard, 8 hours to overnight. Remove log from cloth and slice.

HOLIDAY CASHEW NUT LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to broil. Brush eggplant slices with 2 tbls. oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray, and broil 5 to 7 minutes. Turn eggplant slices, and broil 5 more minutes, or until slices are tender and light brown. Set aside, and lower oven heat to 350*F.
• Cook rice, following package directions, and set aside. Meanwhile, heat remaining 4 tbls. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute cashews, onion and garlic in oil 5 to 7 minutes, or until onion is soft and brown. Chop one tomato, and add to skillet; cook 3 more minutes.
• Transfer cashew mix to large bowl. Stir in cooked rice, breadcrumbs, broth, brewer's yeast, basil, thyme and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Coat a 9"x13" oval baking dish with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the dish with half of the broiled eggplant slices. Spoon in cashew mixture. Top with remaining eggplant slices. Slice remaining 2 tomatoes, and layer down center of casserole to form a broad, bright red stripe.
• Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is brown and filling is hot. Serve immediately. Enjoy.
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