Tuesday, December 12, 2017

DATE BARS

Last week I started prep work on a crown on one of my back molars. I started taking goodies to my dentist and his staff last year. (I needed another place to bake and take something I wanted to share with you here.) Well, last week I was all consumed with the fire in Ventura, CA and didn't get anything made before I went. (We lived in Ventura for 21 years before we moved to Kansas City 9 years ago. It has just been devastating and so surreal. Three of the teachers I taught with lost their houses in the fire.) I felt badly about my neglect, but then when I lost my temporary and had to go back two days later, I thought I would take them something. (I had told Dee, the receptionist, that I would bring them something when I came back to get my permanent crown.

The important thing is I had good intentions; I just didn't look at the clock when I started them. Turned out, the timer went off like 2 minutes before I needed to leave for the dentist. I had just enough time to remove them from the oven and cut them into bars, but they were too hot to take to the dentist. I did take a picture and showed it to them when I got there. (I know ... that was really tacky of me.) I promised them I would bring something really special when my crown is ready. (I have a recipe for chocolate covered cherries I want to make.

Because there is no tooth behind the molar, Dr. G told me the temporary might come off again. I hope not. I told him I didn't plan to eat on it like I did before. I'm hoping the permanent crown will come back earlier than my appointment and they can schedule me to come in later this week. It is not fun eating everything on one side of the mouth.

Since I didn't take any to my dentist office, I gave four bars to Friends Janice and Leon when Janice and I went out shopping Friday. She was going to stop me at two, but decided she wanted one to eat with her coffee the next morning. Later that night as I was enjoying one, I found a small date pit in the bar. I sent Janice a text to warn her to eat softly just in case and she said all was well and they had already eaten them all. Guess she didn't get to enjoy one with her coffee Saturday morning. Saturday night when our Tasty Bunch met, the first thing Leon told me was how much he enjoyed those date things I made.

I found the recipe in Louise Durman's Just Desserts, a  compilation of recipes from the Knoxville News - Sentinel. They were really, really good. I am sorry I didn't start them early enough to take some to Dr. G and his staff.



DATE BARS

3/4       cup sifted flour
1/2       teaspoon baking powder
1/2       teaspoon salt
1          cup brown sugar (I removed 6 teaspoonfuls)
1/4       cup shortening, melted (I used canola oil instead)
2          eggs, beaten
1          cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts)
1          cup chopped dates

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or spray a 7 x 11 - inch pan.


Sift flour and
then measure,
add baking powder and salt and sift the three ingredients together.


Combine sugar with the flour mixture.
(I removed 6 teaspoons of brown sugar from the cup.)


Mix melted shortening (or oil) with beaten eggs then
combine the mixture with the dry ingredients.
Mix in nuts and dates.
Pour into pan and
bake for 30 minutes.
Cut bars while still hot with a sharp knife.



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