1 cup chopped dates

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/4 cups boiling water

3/4 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 2/3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1 6 oz pkg semisweet chocolate morsels

Stir dates and soda into boiling water; set aside, and let cool. Cream shortening; gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating well at medium speed on mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with date mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix after each addition. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Combine brown sugar, pecans and chocolate morsels; sprinkle over top of batter. Bake at 350? for 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. 15 servings.