My son is studying for his first law school exams. I am dying here a thousand miles away that I'm not able to help in some way. (Of course as a good independent 28-yr. old male he has absolutely no wish for my help, even though I've been a lawyer for 34 yrs. and I AM his mother!) So I'm reduced to saying novenas and to baking him cookies which I can mail to him. Bar cookies are the most portable and usually the most resilient when it comes to freshness, too, so last week I sent him "Bayou Brownies", which is another name for a cookie illogically named "Chess Squares", the recipe for which calls for a layer made with yellow cake mix topped with a layer made of cream cheese, confectioner's sugar and pecans. You can google "Chess Squares" and find several versions and they're all great...I highly recommend this cookie even though I normally refuse to make anything which requires use of a cake mix, doctored up or not.
But yesterday I made his absolute favorite cookie, my "Date Bars". This is not a recipe I've ever seen anywhere else. I got it from my college boyfriend's mother many years ago. She's from rural Indiana and I think it was a recipe passed around from a state fair winner or something, but I've never seen it in print anywhere. It is deceptively simple in ingredients and in preparation. You're not going to think, when you read it, that it is special, because it sounds like lots of other date bar recipes. But it is. It is amazingly wonderful. These cookies are so great that people just lose all willpower and eat as many as you'll allow them to, and many of those who've loved them most didn't know dates were in them and might even have thought they didn't like dates. PLEASE take my word for this and try them. You'll never regret it.
Date Bars
(Makes 16 large or 20 small squares)
1/2 c. soft unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1 t. vanilla
2/3 c. flour
1/4 t. salt
1 c. chopped nuts (I use pecans but walnuts are fine)
1 c. chopped dates
Confectioner's sugar for dusting (I use it liberally)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 8" or 9" square cake pan.
In a mixing bowl using an electric mixer at medium high speed, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and beat again until smooth. Add flour, salt, and vanilla, and beat until thoroughly mixed.
By hand, mix in nuts and dates.
Spread batter in prepared pan.
Bake 45 minutes in preheated oven, or until cake is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven, set pan on cooling rack, and let stand in pan until thoroughly cool.
Sift confectioner's sugar over top of cake, then cut into squares.
These freeze well but if I am making only one batch they never last long enough to go into the freezer.
Enjoy them--they're perfect for Christmas presents!
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