Just after our Palm Tree Hunt, I found my little monkey boy playing with some Bible cards that another missionary family had given us. When I looked closer, I realized that one of them was all about Palm Trees!
On the back, it talked about how Solomon carved palm branches into the doors of the temple and how the people placed them in Jesus' path as he rode through Jerusalem on the donkey. It shared how people in the Middle East used the branches for ropes and brooms and how they wove palm leaves into baskets. Then it focussed on the palm trees that grew sweet, sticky, dates and described how many still grow along the Nile River and the Red Sea.
I haven't seen date palm trees here but was excited to find imported dates recently and decided to make some date squares. Most peope who tried them had never heard of them so I thought I'd include the recipe here.
Date Squares
Ingredients:
Filling:
1 lb. pitted dates, chopped
1/2 cup hot water
1/4 cup honey
1 Tbsp. orange juice
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
pinch salt
1 tsp. vanilla
Base/Topping:
1 1/2 cups flour (whole wheat or all-purpose)
1 1/2 cups oats
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup butter
Directions:
1. Make the filling first. Cook all filling ingredients except vanilla on low heat until dates are soft and water is absorbed. Stir in vanilla and let cool.
2. Mix all base/topping ingredients except butter. Cut in butter and work it in with fingers until well-mixed.
3. Press half of the oat mixture into a 8" square pan. Cover with cold filling. Pat remaining mixture on top.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
They are crumbly but yummy!
Thanks for joining our Palm Tree Hunt this week. I hope that you've enjoyed it!
Marcie Cooper
P.S. Click on the links to find earlier Palm Tree messages:
Our Palm Trees
Red Berry Palm Trees
Coconut Palm Trees
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