1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup hot water
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 heaping tbsp. cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
1 (6 oz.) pkg. chocolate chips (I add extra chips)
1 cup chopped nuts (I use walnuts)
confectioners' sugar (for sprinkling)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Add baking soda to chopped dates and cover with hot water. Set aside to cool.

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix well. Sift together flour, salt and cocoa and add alternately with date mixture to egg-butter ingredients, stirring after each addition. Add vanilla.

Pour batter into a greased 9x13-inch cake pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips and nuts on top of batter.

Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 325°F and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes.

Total baking time: 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Cut into squares.

Variations: Use more or less chocolate chips and nuts as desired, For thinner squares use a 11x16x1-inch sheet cake pan. Bake at 350 for 10°F then reduce temperature to 325°F for 20 minutes.

Submitted by: Mary Ellen Parisian