Date and walnut loaf

Wow, two posts in one day!  I'll have a round-up of what I succeeded with today in a minute.  Firstly, I wanted to clarify (to myself as much to anyone else) some points from my earlier post today.

When I looked back through what I had written, I could almost hear my daughter telling me I was stereotyping and being judgmental towards young people.  That was not what I meant.  What I was trying to say, rather clumsily, was that we have created a culture within our society where too many people feel they are entitled to a particular standard of living, without making any effort or contribution themselves.  This consumerist culture does not encourage thrift, responsibility or thoughtfulness.  Rather it encourages us, at every turn, to spend money we don't have, and borrow money we then can't repay in order to satisfy the demands of the ad man, turning us into materialistic individuals drowning in pointless stuff that just becomes a burden instead of a pleasure.  There is an expectation, an entitlement to all of this, and the old saying of 'living within your means' seems way too old-fashioned for life today, which is a shame because far too many are ending up in the grips of debt.

Anyway, onto brighter topics . . . like food!  I made my date and walnut loaf and jolly good it looks, too.  We're being very restrained and keeping it for a day (to improve, apparently), and will try it tomorrow.  I have to say it does smell very yummy.

Date and walnut loaf waiting to be eaten

Here the recipe, from Allrecipes.co.uk site, originally posted by wakeylass.

4oz chopped dates

2 oz margarine

225 ml boiling water

1 tspn bicarb of soda

8 oz SR flour

2 oz walnuts (I used some extra hazelnuts leftover from Christmas)

6 oz brown sugar (no brown sugar in the cupboard, so I used white)

1 egg, beaten

Place dates, margarine and bicarb in a basin and add boiling water.  Mix together, allow margarine to melt and dates to soften.  Cool.

In separate bowl, mix flour, nuts and sugar together.  Add date mixture to the flour mix, add egg and mix together.  

Spoon into greased/lined loaf tin and bake for 60-75 mins on 170C, Gas 3.  Test with skewer to check it is cooked throughout.

I also drafted up the waistcoat pattern, with alterations, so I should be able to pin and cut out tomorrow, all being well.  And the beret instructions are coming along, too.

I promised myself I would gather together all the bottles, jars and plastic containers that I have accumulated in the name of 'beauty products' (LOL - way past any help, methinks!)  I was gobsmacked to find I had no less than 61 bottles etc (and that doesn't include any make-up).  Granted, quite a few I had specifically requested for presents at various times, but isn't it amazing how the collection just grows?  I have now made a resolution to use these products up, and not purchase or ask for any more.  I think I'd like to try my hand at making my own soap, and perhaps look into other ideas for cleansers, moisturisers etc.  In the meantime, it's one plastic bottle or jar at a time - I wonder how long it will take me to finish them all up?

I could open a chemist with this lot!