Instructions: 1 Pkg (7oz) pitted dates cut up into or pour 2 cups boiling water plus 2 teaspoons baking soda over cut up dates to soak. Let cool. Cream together 2 cups sugar, 2 eggs, 2 tablespoon shortening. Sift together 4 cups flour, 2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add 1 to 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts* 1 teaspoon vanilla. Using veggie type cans - 6 of them each batch - grease inside of cans well. Fill 1/2 full of dough. Place on cookie sheets to bake. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Cool 10 minutes & carefully loosen & remove from cans.

* either English walnuts or black walnuts may be used. If using black walnuts use only 1 cup as black walnuts are stronger in taste but good in this recipe.
* If you have a stuck bread in the can just open the bottom and gently push out. You will need to look for the type of cans that dont have the rounded bottom as you cant open those. But if you GREASE WELL the insides you shouldnt have any problem. These round rolls will freeze great tillEneeded. You slice them in thin rounds eat plain or spread with softened cream cheese. Top with another round & cut in 1/2 .

Whistlestop Says: Please forgive the non-format. I pass this on just as it was handed down & passed around by my neighbors family. Somehow or another is just seems to me that I should continue their tradition. By the way this isnt like Boston brown bread. This is a "sweet" bread.

My new neighbor brought this over on their 1st Christmas. It became an instant hit. She shared this recipe with me. Her great Aunt Bessies mom brought this over from the Ukraine when Bessie was a child. It has been modernized to fit todays products but has that old world charm. It is wonderful warm or cold - with a "smackerel" of cream cheese. It freezes like fresh made. I did this for my daughters wedding reception 2 thin round slices with cream cheese cut in half. They were demolished and many asked for the recipe. They have been made & served at formal as well as informal showers, parties and given for holiday "favors".

This is a big hit every time I make it. I made about 30 cans of this & not a crumb was left. Ask your friends to save the cans for you. Hope you will enjoy this as much as we & those Ive shared it with have. Talk about a wonderful smell in the kitchen!!! Whistlestop

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