Another treasured family recipe ~ Date and Nut Confections

The cute vintage background is from Free Pretty Things for You.

I've given them a sweeter, nicer name in the recipe title, but in our family these confections were always known as "Dot's Oddballs".  (I am not sure if it was my dad or Dot's husband Howard who gave them this name.  They shared the same quirky sense of humor, so it could have been either one of them,)

In case you can't read the recipe (which is in my grandmother's handwriting), here are the ingredients:

Date & Nut Confections
1 cup sugar
1 cup chopped dates
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup margarine (1 stick)
2 cups rice krispies
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
vanilla to taste
coconut for rolling

In a saucepan, melt the margarine.  Add the sugar, dates, and egg.  Cook for 10 minutes only.  Stir in the rice krispies, walnuts, and vanilla.  Cool the mixture; then form into small balls and roll in flaked coconut.  Store in covered container in refrigerator.  

These treats really are very good.  And I imagine one reason the cooks in my family often made them was that you could produce a Christmas cookie quite quickly, without turning on the oven.  Enjoy this Christmas recipe, if you try it.