Date Nut Kisses Food

DATE NUT BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350.
• Grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 3 inch loaf pan.
• Put the dates, walnuts, baking soda, salt and shortening in a bowl. Pour the boiling water over and stir. Let the mixture stand for 15 minutes.
• Using a fork, beat the eggs and sugar together in a bowl. Add the flours and stir; the batter will be too stiff to mix well. Add the date mixture and mix briskly until the batter is well blended. Spoon into the loaf pan and bake 40 to 50 minutes. Check the loaf often; it is done when a few moist crumbs cling to a straw inserted in the middle of the loaf. The bread will continue to bake after it is removed from the oven. Do not overbake, or the loaf will be dry.
• When the loaf is done, slide a knife around the edges of the pan and turn the loaf onto a rack to cool completely. This bread freezes well.

DATE-NUT MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200°F.
• In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites until foamy. With the mixer on high speed, beat in salt; then gradually add sugar, about a tableshppon at a time, beating well after each addition, until whites fold stiff, glossy peaks.
• Add vanilla and beat for 1 minute. Fold in dates and walnuts.
• Drop meringue mixture by rounded teaspoonfulls onto well-greased cooking sheets, spacing cookies about 1 inch apart. Bake in a 200°F oven for 1 hour or until outside is dry and set; cookies should not turn brown.
• Let cool on baking sheets for about 5 minutes, then transfer to racks and let cool completely. Store airtight.

DATE-NUT KISSES

Steps:

• Set 2 oven racks at top and bottom thirds of oven.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Spray 2 non-stick baking sheets generously with oil spray.
• In shallow pan over medium-high heat, toast almonds until lightly browned, about 15 minutes, stirring several times.
• Set aside.
• In clean, dry bowl, beat egg white with salt and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
• Add rum extract.
• While beating, gradually sprinkle in granulated sugar.
• Beat in dark brown sugar 1 tablespoon at a time.
• Fold in dates, raisins and almonds.
• Drop mixture by teaspoon onto baking sheets 3 inches apart, to make 25 cookies.
• Stagger pans on separate racks so lower pan is not directly below top pan.
• Bake cookies 10 minutes.
• Switch pans to opposite racks.
• Bake 10 minutes more or until cookies are light brown, firm and feel dry to the touch.
• Turn off oven.
• Let cookies sit in oven 20 minutes.
• Remove from oven and cool completely on baking sheets.
• Using metal spatula, gently remove cookies from sheets.
• If not served immediately, store in airtight container, with wax paper between layers, up to 3 days.
• These are crisp on the outside and slightly chewy inside on the first day, they later become chewy throughout.

NUTELLA KISSES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375*.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt, whisk to combine.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the Nutella, sugars and butter. Cream for about 3 minutes, then add the vanilla and egg. Blend until combined.
• Stir in dry ingredients just until combined.
• Shape cookie dough into walnut-sized balls, then roll into the extra sugar. Place on cookie sheet about 4 inches apart.
• Bake for 8 minutes, pull rack out and place a kiss into the center of each cookie. Cookie will get the cracks from this. Push rack back in and bake an additional 3 minutes.
• Remove to a wire rack to cool.

DATE NUT DESSERT LOG

Steps:

• Mix 2 cups crumbs, marshmallows, dates and walnuts.
• Stir in cream, mix well.
• Shape into a log and roll in remaining crumbs.
• Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
• Serve in slices.

DATE DROP COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• In large bowl, combine first 4 ingredients; beat well.
• (Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off.) Add flour and soda; mix well.
• Stir in dates and nuts.
• Drop by teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown.

VANILLA MERINGUE COOKIES

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a small bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 250°. Add vanilla, cream of tartar and salt to egg whites; beat on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition, until sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until stiff glossy peaks form, about 7 minutes., Cut a small hole in the tip of a pastry bag or in a corner of a food-safe plastic bag; insert a #32 star tip. Transfer meringue to bag. Pipe 1-1/4-in.-diameter cookies 2 in. apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets., Bake until firm to the touch, 40-45 minutes. Turn off oven; leave meringues in oven 1 hour (leave oven door closed). Remove from oven; cool completely on baking sheets. Remove meringues from paper; store in an airtight container at room temperature.

WALNUT SPICE KISSES

Steps:

• Combine sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg; set aside.
• Beat egg white (at room temperature) and salt at high speed of an electric mixer 1 minute.
• Gradually add sugar mixture, 1 tbls.
• at a time, beating until stiff peaks form.
• Fold in walnuts.
• Drop by teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheets.
• Bake at 250* for 35 to 40 minutes.