Dates...

ahhhh....when I was in high school, 

if I didn't have a DATE for the weekend,

I was crushed.

I had some amazing boyfriends thru high school

and I always loved * "going steady" 

because that always insured dates throughout the weekend.

* for those grandkids of mine that don't understand what "GOING STEADY" means...

it simply meant NO OTHER BOYS for me...

NO OTHER GIRLS for him.

also, it usually meant you got to wear his senior ring on a chain around your neck...

marking HIS TERRITORY.

ahhh...the 50's

What a wonderful time I had...

I graduated high school in 1956 and we
will have our 60th reunion in the summer of 2016. 
I just can't wait....we've lost so many of our classmates...when you reach your 70's, things like that happen.

And most anyone that knows me, in real life or cyber life, knows that I STILL love
ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC...
Ray Charles
Fats
Little Richard
Elvis
Chuck Berry
so so many more...
*************************************
But, hey....I am totally starting off on the wrong subject....
DATES....like those you COOK with....that's my subject today. hhhaaha 

When I was young, my Aunt Lola made the BEST Date Nut Cake on the planet.
I am blessed 'cause I have her recipe...
served with a good SHARP CHEDDAR CHEESE, it will knock your sox off.

Thru the holidays, I thought of making her cake several times ....
it really doesn't take long to make...
Oh...not as fast a box cake....but not too long.

However, with all the activities going on thru  the holidays,
and we already had 2 cakes and COOKIES BY THE GRANDS....
SO...
I decided to make these little loaf cakes...

Then, I reasoned, I could freeze part of them for later in the winter.

This cake is so good with a cup of hot tea..

I love this tea mug that I found at
Ross a couple years ago.

I keep looking for more but haven't found them...guess I could Google and find more.

I prefer a mug over a tiny tea cup...

and this BENTLEY'S TEA
is really good.

I especially love the
RASPBERRY GREEN.

When I was growing up, my mother didn't drink hot tea so I didn't have it until I was a senior in high school. I spent the night with a friend and the next morning, her mother made buttery toast, bacon and
HOT TEA.
I WAS HOOKED...for life. :>)

hahhhaaa....look at that TOTALLY PINK PHONE CASE.
I just love it to the moon and back....
♥

This beauty is a SNAPFON, which is a phone for....*GULP.....seniors.
Large numbers..
loud ringer...
SOS for emergencies...
It has texting abilities...of which I am learning to do and LOVE IT !

No internet like the smart phones.....it's a 3G, tho and fairly powerful.
Since Mr. Sweet and I use our phones only for talking,
they fit us so so well.
We love 'em, as a matter of fact.
OOO,
and LOVE the $15.00 a month for service....
Yes, ma'am....we are lovin' it.....
and Mr. Sweet said to BE SURE and tell you that HIS phone does NOT have a pink case. ! !
♥

My Christmas flower is still so pretty.
♥

THIS IS THE RECIPE I used.

DATE NUT BREAD/CAKE

1 1/2 cups pitted, chopped DATES
2 1/4 cups boiling water
3 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup chopped nuts ( i always use PECANS)
2 cups white sugar
3 tablespoons margarine
2 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 cup all purpose flower flour :>)
1 full teaspoon of Vanilla....(I always use 1 1/2 teaspoons)
and, like my Aunt Lillian, put a dab of it behind ea ear....:)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring dates and water to a boil. Stir in 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup sugar until melted. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda. Let cool for 10 minutes.
2. Place date mixture into a large bowl. Blend in flour, eggs and vanilla. Stir in chopped walnuts. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. THIS TIME is for a large, single loaf. When using the smaller loaf pans, cook time isn't nearly as long.
4. Cook about 30 minutes...
5. Test doneness with toothpick . 
6. 
   

Mr. Sweet and I thank you all SO much for the well wishes for him and his cold.

He still feels rotten...

You know how colds work...at least a week of feeling bad before you

can claim to still be among the living.

THANK YOU..!

Playing with:
 FOODIE FRIDAY
 PINK SAT.