If you need a reason to celebrate ...

by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett

I must confess, that I haven't ever eaten a fresh apricot. They just don't seem to be available where I live (or if they, the grocery stores hide them from me), but I have eaten dried apricots.  (Yum!)  And here's a nice recipe you might want to make for a Happy Hour snack. I've included it in my cookbook, RECIPES TO DIE FOR: A Victoria Square Cookbook.

Bacon-Wrapped Apricots
Ingredients
1 package (14 ounces) dried apricots
½ cup whole almonds
1 pound sliced bacon
¼ cup apple jelly
2 tablespoons salt-reduced soy sauce

Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC, Gas Mark 5). Fold each apricot around an almond. Cut bacon strips into thirds. Wrap a strip around each apricot and secure it with a toothpick.  Place on two foil-lined ungreased baking trays. Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes or until the bacon is crisp, turning once. In a small saucepan, combine the jelly and soy sauce and cook and stir over low heat for 5 minutes. Remove apricots from the baking pan and set on paper towels to drain. Serve with the sauce for dipping.
Yield:  Approximately 4 ½ dozen

Do you have a recipe using apricots you'd like to share?