Heavenly Date-Nut Bread ~ Reminiscent Recipes

My mother would always serve date-nut bread on Thanksgiving with homemade whipped cream cheese...how I looked forward to that every year!  This heavenly date-nut bread is so reminiscent of her wonderful Thanksgiving meals.

With every bite, I am overwhelmed with delicious comfort...something we can all use during these challenging times.  So why wait for Thanksgiving...

                                    I Close My Eyes, Take A Bite, and...

                     Warm, Fuzzy Scrumptiousness Just Bathes Over Me

As adapted from Mollie's recipe at Frugal Hausfrau for Pat Nixon's Date Nut Bread

Makes two each 8" x 4" loaves of bread

Ingredients

• 1 lb. packaged dates (I used CA Deglet Noor Pitted Dates) cut* into about 1/4" pieces
• 1 1/2 c. boiling water
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 c. (1 stick) room-temperature butter
• 1 3/4 c. sugar 
• 1 large room-temperature egg 
• 2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 c. medium-chopped pecans or walnuts (I used pecans) 
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 
• Non-stick baking spray

Directions 

1. Spray very well (because some dates will cause the bread to stick to the pan if you don't) two 8" x 4" loaf pans with the non-stick baking spray.  
2. Put the cut-up dates into a small bowl and set aside.
3. Add the baking soda to the boiling water and pour over the dates.  Set aside.  (You will use both the dates AND the water they soak in!)
4. Preheat the oven to 350º. 
5. Cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer and mix in the egg.
6. Strain the water from the dates INTO the batter and set the dates aside.  Add the flour and beat well.  Mix in the vanilla, then stir in the dates and nuts.   
7. Distribute the batter equally between the two sprayed pans and bake for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (mine was done in 1 hour).

*Tips

1. I used kitchen shears to cut the dates.
2. My favorite way to enjoy this heart-warming bread is toasted with cream cheese.
3. Freezes well...wrap in plastic wrap, then foil.  Thaw overnight in the fridge.

                                No Bother To Freeze That Second Loaf...

                                              Just Give It To Me!

Especially good for breakfast or brunch, you and yours will love this marvelous date-nut bread any time of the day...so, if you have leftover packaged dates, as I did recently, I couldn't think of a better way to enjoy them!