P.O. Box 432 Traverse City, MI 49685 231.947.2141 glit@glit.com Apricot Recipes

Dried Apricot Recipes:

Dried Apricot Muffins

1 cup	GREAT LAKES' Dried Apricots, diced 1/4"
1 cup	Boiling Water
1/2 cup	Butter or Margarine
1 cup	Sugar
3/4 cup	Sour Cream
2 cups	All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon	Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon	Salt
1 Tablespoon	Orange Peel, grated
1/2 cup	Chopped Nuts
Topping:
1/4 cup	Sugar
1/4 cup	Orange Juice

In a small bowl, pour hot water over apricots and let stand 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add sour cream and mix well. Combine dry ingredients and add to butter mixture. Mix until well combined. Fold in orange peel, nuts and apricots. Batter will be very stiff. Spoon into well-greased muffin cups, fill 3/4. Bake at 400 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes or until done. Combine sugar and orange juice; dip muffin top in mixture. Makes 12 muffins.

Dried Apricot Pinenut Pilaf

1 medium	Onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons	Olive Oil
1 cup	Long Grain Rice
1/2 teaspoon	Salt
1 14oz. can	Chicken Broth
1/4 cup	Water
1/3 cup	GREAT LAKES' Dried Apricots, diced
1/4 cup	GREAT LAKES' Pinenuts, toasted
1 teaspoon	Basil
1/2 teaspoon	Cumin
1/2 teaspoon	Pepper

Cook Onion in olive oil over low heat. Add rice, salt, broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover, turn the heat down to simmer for 15 to 18 minutes (until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed) Add apricots, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the pinenuts, basil, cumin and pepper. Serve. (Hint: Pinenuts can be toasted in a dry frying pan over medium heat)

Dried Apricot Macadamia Snowballs

6 oz.	GREAT LAKES' Ready-to-Eat Dried Apricots
1 Tablespoon.	Sugar
1 cup	Packaged Sweet Coconut
1/4 cup	Apricot Jam
1 cup	Macadamia Nuts

Using a food processor, blend all ingredients except coconut, pulsing until mix forms a mass. Shape rounded teaspoons of mix into balls. Roll and press coconut onto balls. Chill, loosely covered, for 4 hours or overnight.

Mimi's Apricot Chicken

1	Whole Chicken Breast (boned and skinned)
2 Tablespoons	Soy Sauce
3 Tablespoons	Rice Wine or Dry Sherry
1 Tablespoon.	Grated fresh Ginger or Ground Ginger
6 oz.	GREAT LAKES' Ready-to-Eat Dried Apricots, diced
1 cup	Rice
1 cube	Chicken Boullion
1/2 cup	Chopped Walnuts
1 can (8oz)	Sliced Water Chestnuts
1	Medium onion, diced
2 Tablespoons	Chopped Parsley
dash	Basil, Marjoram & Cilantro

1) Marinate chicken overnight in soy sauce, wine or sherry and ginger. Save marinade.
2) In a medium pan, cover apricots with 1 cup of water and simmer until soft and done. (about 5 minutes)
3) In another medium pan, add chicken to 1 1/2 cups of boiling water and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until cooked through. Remove chicken and cut into bite size pieces. Save water.
4) Add 1 1/2 cups of water to saved chicken water and add rice, diced onions, chicken boullion . Slow boil until rice is soft. (about 15 minutes)
5) Combine all ingredients including leftover marinade in a large casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until heated through.

Emi's Apricot Breakfast Spread

6 oz.	GREAT LAKES' Ready-to-Eat Dried Apricots
6 Tablespoons	Cream Cheese (light)
2 Tablespoons	Non Fat Yogurt, Plain
1 teaspoon	Honey

Blend ingredients together in a food processor until well pureed. Great spread on bread, bagels, or crackers!

Dried Apricot Butter

10	GREAT LAKES' Ready-to-Eat Dried Apricots
1/2 cup	Butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon	Lemon zest
2 Tablespoons	Honey

Dice apricots in a food processor; add butter, honey and lemon zest and process until well blended and fluffy. Serve with toast or biscuits.

Dried Apricot Cheese Ball

1 cup	GREAT LAKES' Ready-to-Eat Dried Apricots, chopped
1/4 cup	GREAT LAKES' Dried Cherries, chopped
4 ounces.	Cheddar Cheese, finely grated
8 ounces	Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup	GREAT LAKES' Pine Nuts, chopped

Chop apricots and dried cherries in a food processor. Combine with the cream cheese and cheddar cheese. Toast pinenuts and chop them when cooled. Form the cheese mixture into a ball and roll in the chopped pinenuts. Cover and chill for 2 hours before serving..

Dried Apricot Salsa

1 cup	GREAT LAKES' Ready-to-Eat Dried Apricots, diced
2 Large	Tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup	Sweet or Red Onion, chopped
1/2 cup	Fresh Cilantro, minced
2	Jalapeno Peppers, seeded and finely chopped
2 tbsp	Lime Juice
1/2 tsp	Salt

Dice the apricots into ¼ inch pieces using kitchen shears. Combine all ingredients in small bowl; refrigerate 2 hours. Serve with tortilla chips or grilled chicken or pork. The "heat" can be turned up by adding more jalapeno peppers..