Old-fashioned Cherry Apricot Bars

Old-fashioned Cherry Apricot Bars

1--1/2 Sticks (3/4 cup) Sweet butter, cut into chunks

1 TBL All-purpose flour, for topping

1/2 C Dried cherries, minced

1/2 C Dried apricots, un-sulfured, minced

2/3 C Fresh-squeezed orange juice

1/2 TSP Sugar

PINCH Cinnamon

Crust:

1/2 C Slivered almonds

1/2 C Fresh grated coconut

1-1/4 C All-purpose flour

3/4 C Old-fashioned rolled oats

3/4 C Dark brown sugar, packed firm

PINCH Cinnamon

1/2 TSP Kosher salt

1.pre heat oven to 150°f.

2. Meanwhile, bring the apricots, cherries, orange juice, sugar, and cinnamon to a boil over medium high heat, reduce heat, cover and simmer, on low, until fruit is soft. Remove from heat. Mash fruit in juice until mixture thickens. Allow to cool.

3. Toast nuts and coconut in oven on a cookie sheet until deep golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Increase temperature to 350°f. In the mixing bowl of a heavy-duty mixer (do not use a food processor for this recipe) combine the almonds, coconut, flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt, and mix well, then add butter. Mix, on medium, until crumb mixture is formed, about 1 minute.

4. Set aside 1C of crumb mixture for topping. Firmly press remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of 8"x8" baking dish. Spoon fruit filling on to crumbs and spread out but do not allow fruit to touch sides of baking dish( leave about 1/8" border.) Mix 1TBL flour with remaining crumb mixture. Sprinkle over fruit filling. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool and cut into squares.

Strawberry Shortcake with Amaretto Caramel Sauce

Strawberry Shortcake with Amaretto Caramel Sauce

Everybody loves strawberry short cake.  This delicious caramel sauce puts it in a class all by its self.

6 cups fresh strawberries

1 cup sugar

Shortcakes:

1 cup flour

3 Tbl. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. table salt

1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 cup sweet butter, cut into pieces

1 egg, beaten lightly

1/4 cup heavy cream

Caramel Sauce:

1/3 cup light brown sugar

2 Tbl. sweet butter

2 Tbl. Amaretto

1 Tbl. heavy cream

 Finish:

1/2 cup Heavy cream

Remove the stems from the strawberries and cut in half.  Place the strawberries in a glass bowl and stir in the sugar.  Cover with plastic and put in the refrigerator for 1/2 hour.  Pre-heat the oven to 400º.  In a medium bowl sift flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg, stir well. Add butter and work mixture with a pastry cutter or 2 knives until dough resembles a coarse meal.  Mix eggs and cream together and then stir into dough just until dough holds together.  Drop the dough a spoonful at a time onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for about 10 minutes or until golden on top.  When biscuits are done, place on a wire rack and allow to cool.  Cut biscuits in half, place bottom half in the bottom of a shallow bowl.  Spoon strawberries and their juice over bottom half of the biscuit and the cover with top half.

 Stir the butter, brown sugar, Amaretto, and cream together in a medium saucepan. Bring to a low boil over medium heat.  Remove from heat and immediately spoon over shortcake.  Pour a little cream around outside of shortcake.

Makes 6