• 1/4 cup all purpose flour, sifted
  
• 1 teaspoon double acting baking powder
  
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  
• pinch of salt
  
• 1 cup of sugar
  
• 1 cup pitted dates, coarsely ground
  
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 1teaspoon vanilla extract
  

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
   
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and sugar into a mixing bowl.
   
3. Add the dates, and toss the separate all the pieces.
   
4. Add the walnuts and toss again.
   
5. Beat eggs and vanilla until very light and stir into dry mixture.
   
6. Turn dough into floured 9-inch square pan. Spread evenly.
   
7. Bake for 30 minutes.
   
8. Allow to cool, cut, and serve.
   

yield: 16-24 bars

A little something different to serve at the church picnic.

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 large eggs
• 4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled
• favorite frosting (this means your favorite)
  

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease bottoms of 2 round 9X1 1/2 inch pans with shortening and lightly flour.
3. Beat all ingredients except frosting together until a smooth batter is formed.
4. Pour into pans.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack, being careful not to break or tear cakes. Allow to cool completely. Frost and serve.
   

Yield: 8-12 servings.

Okay, we're talking about chocolate cake here.... do I need to say anymore?

• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons beaten egg
  

  Filling:
  

• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• salt
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 pints strawberries, hulled To make the pastry:

  In a food processor, combine the flour, butter, sugar, and egg. Pulse just enough to make the dough come together. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a 6 inch disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour to overnight. Preheat oven to 350. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12 inch round. Fit the dough, without stretching, into a 9x3/4 inch tart pan with removable bottom. Trim the overhang to 3/4 of an inch; fold the overhang to the sides to reinforce them. Prick the bottom with a fork and refrigerate until firm. Bake the shell for 25 minutes, or until golden brown and fully cooked. Cool completely.

  To make filling:

  In a medium saucepan, combine the egg yolk, 3 tablespoons of milk, the sugar, flour, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Whisk until smooth. In a small saucepan, bring the remaining milk to a simmer. Gradually whisk the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture. Cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until the pastry cream thickens, about 4 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. Whisk in the heavy cream. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate until chilled. Vigorously beat the chilled pastry cream until smooth and spread evenly in the pastry shell. Arrange the strawberries, tips up, in tight circles in the tart. Chill again. Unmold the tart and place on a cake plate or serving platter.

  Yield: 8 servings

  Try to choose the sweetest most evenly sized berries you can find.

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  Chocolate Cherry Cake

  
  
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 egg
  • 1 square chocolate, shaved
  • 1 3/4 cups flour, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup sour milk
  • 3/4 cup cherries, chopped fine, with juice
    

  Mix first four ingredients. Add flour and soda alternately with sour milk. Fold in cherries and juice. Bake 325° for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  

  One of my grandmother's favorites. It will be one of yours, as well.
  

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  Plum Tart with Ginger Crust

  
  

  Crust
  

  • 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), cut into small pieces
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup finely ground gingersnap cookies
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
    

    Filling
    

  • 1 1/2 pounds red plums, pitted and quartered
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup red currant jelly or apricot jam, melted
    

    To prepare crust: place the butter in a food processor and blend until creamy. Add vanilla and sugar and blend until the mixture is light and fluffy, stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice. In a small bowl, combine the flour, gingersnaps and ginger. Add to mixture in food processor and blend until dough comes together around the sides of the bowl. Scrape bowl and blend for a few seconds more. With lightly floured hands, press the dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch, loose bottomed, tart pan, making sure dough is not too thick. Trim off excess dough from top, leaving about 1/8 of an inch over top of pan. Prick dough with a fork and chill, covered, for 30 minutes. Bake chilled crust at 375°, until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Set aside to cool.
    

    To prepare filling: Preheat oven to 350°. Place plums in a bowl with the cinnamon, sugar, and ginger. Toss well. Brush half of the jelly all over the inside of the cooled tart shell. Arrange the plums decoratively in the shell, skin side up, starting from the outside and working inward. The plums should overlap slightly. Brush tart with remaining jelly. Place tart on a baking sheet and cover the rim of crust with foil to prevent overbrowning. Bake at 350° until plums are tender, about 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature, remove sides of pan and serve.

    Yield: 8 servings

    A very classy dessert to serve at your next dinner party. I knot it's a lot of work, but trust me, it's worth it.
    

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