Stuffed Dried Fruits
1 small package cream cheese at room temperature
½ cup ricotta cheese
1 tsp. vanilla extract
12 apricots or figs, cherries or dates, slit to form a pocket
2 tbs. minced pistachio nuts, or other nuts
1. Blend the cheeses together in a food processor or blender until smooth.
2. Cover and chill for one hour.
3. Fill each piece of fruit with the filling and sprinkle the top with nuts.
Serves 4
RICE PUDDING WITH FRUIT
1/2 gallon milk*
1 cup uncooked rice
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cold margarine
1/4 teaspoon salt, optional
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried apricots or peaches, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
*Use half nonfat and half whole milk or all nonfat for lower fat content. Can substitute evaporated milk for a very rich flavor.
The cooking time will vary greatly, anywhere from 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours. The longer it cooks, the thicker it will be. It is important to have the dried apricots minced. Put all ingredients into the slow cooker/Crock Pot. Stir to blend well. Cover and cook on high for 1 1/2 hours; stir once after about an hour. Or, cook on high for the first 30
minutes, turn to low and cook as long as desired. Check after the first 2 hours of low cooking and stir. If the rice is not absorbing the milk quickly enough, turn the slow cooker/Crock Pot up to high again. Keep cover on at all times.
Slow Cooker temperatures vary widely among different brands. Only experimentation can tell you the correct amount of time for cooking in your slow cooker/Crock Pot. Rarely will a slow cooker/Crock Pot recipe fail, though, as the long, slow cooking process does not require precise timing.
Serves 8.
Preparing a Fruit Cake
Are you the fruit cake in your family? Before you raise your eyebrow, I would suggest you read on to know what I mean.
The fruit cake has tantalized the world for centuries. When you take a lip smacking bite, you will experience the taste of culture and valued traditions. The fruit cake which I would love to offer you will be an ideal one, with a high content of fruits and nuts in proportion to the batter. You will taste the rich content of French cherries, almonds, California nuts, pineapple, orange peel and lemon. To make it more mouthwatering how about a dash of brand and liquor added to it?hmmm, expensive and irresistible, isn’t it?
If you want to go for a stronger aroma and sharper flavor, then relish the darker version of the fruit cake. The dark fruit cake contains prunes, dates, cherries, walnuts, brown sugar and molasses.
If you love the subtle taste, then you can go for the light fruit cake. The delicate taste is attributed to the presence of granulated sugar, golden raisins, pineapple, apricots and light corn syrup. Read more
Appetizer Egg Rolls
1/2 poundPork; Boneless — Cut Julienne
1each Onion; Small — Sliced
1cup Cabbage — Green Or Chinese *
2tablespoonsVegetable Oil
1/2 cup Mushrooms — Sliced
1/4 cup Sprouts — Bean Or Alfalfa
1/4 cup Currants
1/4 cup Almonds — Slivered
1teaspoonCornstarch
2tablespoonsSherry — Dry
1tablespoon Soy Sauce
1/2 teaspoonGinger
12each Egg Roll Wrappers — Abt 6″ Sq
— Oil For Deep Fat Fry
—–GINGER APRICOT SAUCE—–
1/4 cup Apricots — Dried (Abt. 10)
1/4 cup Sugar
1teaspoonGinger
1/4 teaspoonSalt
1tablespoon Lemon Juice
* Cabbage should be shredded.
Saute the pork, onion, and cabbage in hot oil until lightly browned. Stir in the mushrooms, bean sprouts, currants, and almonds and saute, stirring for 1 minute. Dissolve the cornstarch in 2 T water, and combine with sherry, soy sauce, and ginger; add to the pork mixture and bring to a boil, stirring.
Remove from heat and cool. Stack the egg roll wrappers and cut in half to form rectangles.
Forming one roll at a time, place a heaping a teaspoonful of pork mixture on one end of rectangle, moisten the long edges, and roll up.
Press the edges together to seal. Egg roll may be prepared to this point, then refrigerated for several hours or overnight or frozen for several days before frying.
Adjust time for browning. If rolls are frozen, let them thaw before cooking. Heat the oil to 375 degrees F. and fry the egg rolls, 4 or 5 at a time, until golden brown and crisp on all sides. Frying will take about 4 to 5 minutes; turn rolls once. Drain on paper towels and keep warm while frying the remaining rolls.
Serve with warm Ginger Apricot Sauce. GINGER APRICOT SAUCE: Combine the apricots, sugar, ginger, and salt with 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Pour the mixture into a blender container or food processor.
Add lemon juice, cover and process until smooth. Serve warm.
Apricot Sauce
4 oz Apricots; Dried
3/4 c Apple Juice
1/2 c Orange Juice
1/4 c Honey
2 tb Water
2 t Cornstarch
Ginger; Ground, To Taste Cinnamon; Ground, To Taste 1 tb Sweet Vermouth
Cover the apricots with the apple juice and bring to a full boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, 30 minutes. Stir the apricots occasionally so they will not stick or burn. Let the apricots cool, then strain. Reserve the cooking liquid. Chop the cooked apricots and set aside. In a 2-quart saucepan combine the orange juice, honey, water, cornstarch, ginger and cinnamon. Heat, stirring constantly, until thickened slightly. Remove the pan from the heat and add the apricots, their cooking liquid and vermouth. Serve hot or well chilled.
Appetizer Egg Rolls
1/2 poundPork; Boneless — Cut Julienne
1each Onion; Small — Sliced
1cup Cabbage — Green Or Chinese *
2tablespoonsVegetable Oil
1/2 cup Mushrooms — Sliced
1/4 cup Sprouts — Bean Or Alfalfa
1/4 cup Currants
1/4 cup Almonds — Slivered
1teaspoonCornstarch
2tablespoonsSherry — Dry
1tablespoon Soy Sauce
1/2 teaspoonGinger
12each Egg Roll Wrappers — Abt 6″ Sq
— Oil For Deep Fat Fry
—–GINGER APRICOT SAUCE—–
1/4 cup Apricots — Dried (Abt. 10)
1/4 cup Sugar
1teaspoonGinger
1/4 teaspoonSalt
1tablespoon Lemon Juice
* Cabbage should be shredded.
Saute the pork, onion, and cabbage in hot oil until lightly browned. Stir in the mushrooms, bean sprouts, currants, and almonds and saute, stirring for 1 minute. Dissolve the cornstarch in 2 T water, and combine with sherry, soy sauce, and ginger; add to the pork mixture and bring to a boil, stirring.
Remove from heat and cool. Stack the egg roll wrappers and cut in half to form rectangles.
Forming one roll at a time, place a heaping a teaspoonful of pork mixture on one end of rectangle, moisten the long edges, and roll up.
Press the edges together to seal. Egg roll may be prepared to this point, then refrigerated for several hours or overnight or frozen for several days before frying.
Adjust time for browning. If rolls are frozen, let them thaw before
cooking. Heat the oil to 375 degrees F. and fry the egg rolls, 4 or 5 at a time, until golden brown and crisp on all sides. Frying will take about 4 to 5 minutes; turn rolls once. Drain on paper towels and keep warm while frying the remaining rolls.
Serve with warm Ginger Apricot Sauce. GINGER APRICOT SAUCE: Combine the
apricots, sugar, ginger, and salt with 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Pour the mixture into a blender container or food processor.
Add lemon juice, cover and process until smooth. Serve warm.