Kathy's Orange Date Nut Bread*

In small saucepan on medium-low heat 10-15 minutes:
1 cup ground orange rind
½ cup water
2 Tablespoons sugar

Sift together following in a separate bowl:
2 ¼ cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder

In a mixing bowl, mix together:
2/3 cup milk
3 Tablespoons melted butter
2 eggs

Last, add:
¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
¾ cup finely chopped dates

In advance, grind rinds of 3 oranges medium-fine (May take more than 3 oranges to make enough rind.) Measure 1 cup into saucepan, stir in water and 2 Tablespoons sugar. Cover and cook on low to medium heat 10-15 minutes, until most of water is absorbed. Cool.

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a separate bowl.

In another mixing bowl, place milk, butter, and eggs and whip with fork until incorporated.

Now, Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Start electric mixer on low and slowly add dry ingredients just until smooth.

Stir in orange rind (minus any leftover orange liquid), chopped nuts, & finely chopped dates.

Quickly drop batter into greased & floured 9”x5”x3”inch loaf pans or 5 mini loaf pans.

If desired, now sprinkle tops with mixture of ½ teaspoon cinnamon & 2 Tablespoons of granulated sugar.

Bake @350 degrees F. about 65 minutes for large loaf pans or about 30 minutes for mini loaf pans. Bread is done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on rack.

*Added to an Orange Nut Bread Recipe from The Nut Tree, Vacaville,CA@1970's

Reitha's 'Spritz' Cookies

Butter 1 1/2 cups
Sugar 1 cup
Eggs 1
Vanilla 1 Tbsp
Flour 3 1/2 cups

Sugar & Butter - Beat until light and fluffy

Add egg - vanilla

Add in flour, a little at a time, and beat (or mix by hand) just until blended.

Put cookie dough in cookie press and press away onto ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle with whatever you like...red, green sugar crystals, colored dots, etc. You may have to lightly press the decors on the cookie to stick.

Bake in a 400 degree oven 5-6 minutes. Cool on cookie sheets 1-2 minutes, then transfer to racks for
further cooling. If you are making a lot, be sure the cookie pans are COOL before re-using as the cookie dough will start to melt.

You want the edges and bottoms to be ever so lightly browned, so you'll have to watch the time. Some of mine took 7-8 minutes because I used the air bake pans - I don't recommend these pans for these cookies. Just good old fashioned aluminum-steel (whatever) pans. Do not use dark pans.

You will also notice the smell of butter cooking...this is such a good thing...mmmmmmmmm!