Wednesday's Food Tip: Old-Fashioned Date Nut Roll

When I was a child my mother made this candy every Christmas. I can remember her pouring it onto waxed paper, shaping it into a roll, then wrapping the whole thing in a dish towel and putting it in the refrigerator.




OLD- FASHIONED DATE NUT ROLL

3 c. sugar
1 c. milk
1 (10-oz.) pkg. pitted dates, chopped
2 c. chopped pecans
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Butter (for greasing waxed paper)


Boil the sugar and milk to soft ball stage, stirring constantly. Add pecans and dates and continue stirring until dates soften. Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Stir until thick. Pour mixture onto buttered waxed paper and shape into a roll. Wrap the roll (waxed paper and all) into a dish towel and store it in the refrigerator. Cut into slices to serve.