Date Pudding

Recipe is from Mazie.

1 cup chopped dates
1 cup boiling water
2 TB butter
½ cup sugar
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup flour, or maybe a little more
1 tsp soda
½ tsp salt

Caramel sauce:
½ cube butter
3 TB flour
½ cup sugar
1 ½ cups water
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp salt

Pour water over dates and cool. Cream butter and sugar. Mix in nuts and flour. Add soda and salt to the date mixture. Add date mixture to flour mixture. Place in greased cans and steam 2 hours. If not thoroughly cooked by that time, remove to oven for 15 minutes. Remove from cans as soon as possible and wrap in waxed paper until ready to serve, then reheat by steaming. Serve with caramel sauce.

Caramel sauce: Combine butter, flour, and sugar in saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir constantly as it caramelizes. When brown add 1 ½ cups water and let simmer until entirely dissolved. Add 1 tsp vanilla and ¼ tsp salt. If sauce is too thick, add additional water. Serve hot over date pudding.

Notes from Jo Anne:
· For a double batch of pudding, use at least 5 spaghetti cans.
· One pound of dates, chopped, makes 3 cups.