(Kat) pleas, in part:
I want to mail some festive baked goods to
people across the country. In the past I've
stuck to dense things like chocolate
decadence brownies and date bars. I want to
try some different things. Any suggestions?
I've never sent these breads anywhere, rather I have transported them to
work where the Marines beg for more. Their consistency and baking
container tells me they certainly should withstand mailing, though.

Crosse & Blackwell's Date Nut Bread
(Delicious sliced with cream cheese atop, keeps very well at room
temperature, and freezes just as well. See picky notes.)
About 1 lb. pitted, chopped dates
2 tsp. baking soda
2 Tbsp. butter
2 cups hot tap water
1 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350F and grease well 8 (15 oz.) cans with tops removed.
Mix dates, baking soda, butter and water together in a large bowl; let
cool a bit. Add remaining ingredients. Fill cans halfway. Place on a
large baking sheet and bake for one hour; check with a wooden pick at 50
minutes because ovens vary so much. Leave in cans at least ten minutes
before "shaking" out. Finish cooling on racks.
PickyNotes: The original recipe does call for 8 cans, but when I make
it with the exact same ingredients, it only needs six cans. Last I was
determined to make these for my Marines already promised to, I learned
too late for a shopping trip that the dates I was sure I had were
nowhere to be found. Instead, I chopped up a small package of dried
apricots, then added in a small bag of cherry flavored "Cranaisens"
along with about half a bag of dark raisens. This mixture blended up
perfectly for using only four of the larger cans sliced peaches come in,
and it was equally as good as the original dates-only fruit mixture,
though it did bake up much darker. It keeps quite well counter-top for
over a week, and refrigerated it can be good for two. I've never
freezed it, but would not hesitate should I need to.

=A0=A0=A0Picky ~JA~