The Date Game

This is a glass dish full of - not moldy dirty sand balls - but stuffed dates.

My mother told me last week that she was going to have her stuffed dates at Thanksgiving. I rolled my eyes and said, "MOM! Stop making so much food! We can't possibly eat it all!" Because aside from her, I'm the only one who will eat the stuffed dates even though I don't enjoy them like I did when I was a kid.

Her response:

"Well you don't have to eat them, but I have to make them because it's TRADITION."

I did have to eat one, and take some of them home (and so, see post below.)

Stuffed Dates are a holiday tradition that goes back a couple of generations in my family.  I loved them as a kid.

1 package of dates

Creamy peanut butter

White sugar

Open package of dates. Cut each date longways. Stuff with peanut butter. It's OK if they're messy. Roll each date in sugar.  They have to harden a little bit, then store in a Tupperware container or a tin on the counter. They can sit out in a candy dish next to a little ceramic holiday figurine, too.

Comments

[lg]

God, there are so many things I do around the holidays because it's TRADITION. I am an old lady. Then again, so is my 5-year old daughter who has an unnatural obsession with tradition.

Those stuffed dates sound . . . not like something I'd like. Though I do like dates -- just more as the "sweet" in a savory Morroccan dish.

[Kristin]

I found a package of dates in a drawer this morning and thought, I have to make those Elaine things with them for some holiday party. And voila, now I have the recipe.

[Peeved Michelle]

I think my grandma used to stuff the dates with walnuts, and then rolled them in powdered sugar. I never ate them because I don't like walnuts. Maybe if they had been stuffed with peanut butter, I would have tried them.