Make A Date With Dates

Ramadan is here again and one fruit that is in abundance is the date. Not only is it delicious, it is also packed with essential minerals? to help you stay fit and healthy!

Facts About Dates:

Dates have been around for centuries in a lot of places around the world. They are rich in fibre, low in odium and offer an abundance of nutrients with more potassium than an orange or a banana per ounce. This fruit can satisfy a sweet tooth and contains almost zero fat and no cholesterol. Dates are great for people suffering from anemia, constipation or fatigue.

How Do You Like Them

Fully ripe-plump, with golden-brown smooth skin. The natural sugar contained in the date is much healthier than highly refined white sugar.
Stuffed: Pit, stuff with walnuts,? roll in coconut. These? are a delight to anyone especially children. Dry dates can be eaten as candy which is certainly better for children than ordinary candy bars because they are very high in sugar, which is easily converted into sugar.

Dates sugar:Arrange sliced dates on a baking sheet and bake at 450? for 10 to 15 minutes, or until very dry and hard as rocks. Grind or process in a food processor to make sugar.
Date filled Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients:
•??? 1 teaspoon vinegar
•??? 1/2 cup milk
•??? 1 cup all-purpose flour, stirred before measuring
•??? 1 teaspoon baking soda
•??? 1/4 teaspoon salt
•??? 3/4 cup granulated sugar
•??? 3/4 cup soft shortening
•??? 1/4 cup butter
•??? 5 cups uncooked oats
•??? Filling:
•??? 1 cup chopped dates
•??? 2/3 cup granulated sugar
•??? 1 teaspoon lemon juice
•??? 1/4 cup water

Method:

Stir vinegar into milk; set aside.
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Sift flour with baking soda and salt. Cream shortening and butter until light and fluffy, gradually add in the 3/4 cup sugar. Blend in half of the flour mixture then blend in soured milk, then blend in remaining flour mixture. Stir in oats. Refrigerate cookie dough for at least 4 hours. Meanwhile, make the date filling. In a saucepan combine dates, 2/3 cup sugar, lemon juice and water. Bring date mixture to a boil and simmer for a minute. Remove from heat and let cool. Preheat oven to 350?. Roll about one-third of the chilled dough out on floured surface. Keep remaining dough refrigerated until ready to roll out. Cut rolled out dough with floured 2-inch round cookie cutter. Place on ungreased cookie sheets and bake 10 to 12 minutes; cool.
To serve, spread 1 teaspoon of date filling on half of cookies; top with remaining cookies.

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