Ila Horner's Date Pudding

1 pkg dates 1 teaspoon soda 1 cup boiling water 1 cup sugar 1 rounded teaspoon butter

1 egg 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1-1/2 cups flour 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Chop or cut up dates finely; pour 1 cup boiling water over them and add soda. Set aside. Cream butter into sugar; add egg. Sift dry ingredients together and add to egg mixture. Stir in date mixture. Bake in a greased and floured 11x5" pan about 25 minutes or until pudding tests done. Remove from oven and pour hot date sauce (recipe below) over top. Serve with whipped cream.

Sauce Ingredients:

1 package dates 1 cup boiling water

1 cup sugar 1/2 cup nuts

Directions:
Cook together over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thick. Pour over top of pudding when taken from oven.

Notes:
Ila Horner contributed this recipe to the Jolly Neighbors Extension Club of Rose, Nebraska, for a hand-written cookbook that they made during the early 1960's. I have expanded the directions a little because all the recipes were greatly condensed to fit on one side of a 3x5" recipe card. Eldon and Ila Horner were neighbors who lived in the Duff Valley. I went through grade school with their daughters, Velda, Carolyn, and Teresa.