Apricot Bars

This is a three layer dessert that it is amazingly simple to make. Serve it hot or cold with coffee and/or ice cream. To use fresh apricots, dunk them in a boiling water bath. Leave for approximately 1 minute. Remove them, and when they are cool enough to touch, slip the skins.

2 cups apricot puree
(Use fresh apricots with skins and pits removed, canned apricots – drained, or frozen apricots – thawed and drained)

2 cups oatmeal
1 cup flour - You could use a commercial gluten free flour as a replacement.
vanilla
salt
¾ cup butter
1 cup almond meal (or finely ground walnuts or pecans)
1 egg
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Puree apricots; add ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon vanilla, ½ cup brown sugar, and 1 cup almond meal. Set aside.

Bottom crust: Melt ½ cup butter. Mix in 1 cup flour, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 slightly beaten egg, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon vanilla, and 1 cup oatmeal. Press this mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 glass baking dish and put into preheated oven for 15 minutes.

Topping: While crust is baking, mix topping: ¼ cup melted butter,1 cup oatmeal, ½ teaspoon vanilla, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ cup brown sugar, and 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans.

When crust has baked for 15 minutes, remove it from the oven and turn the heat down to 325. Spread the apricot puree mixture over the hot crust. Then sprinkle the topping over the apricot mixture. Bake for an additional 25 minutes at the reduced temperature.

Cool, cut into squares.

Life is what happens while you're making other plans. John Lennon

Sweet and Spicy Quesadilla

I discovered this recipe in a restaurant while trying to come up with something for me to eat there. They were accommodating, and I was delighted. (American Bistro in Del Mar, CA) The sweetness comes from the corn and the heat level can be adjusted to suit your taste, depending on which peppers you use. Gringos might want to stick with green chilies and Southwest types can use jalapenos, red or yellow chilies. The truly adventurous and iron tongued would use habaneros.

You will need:

Slices of two cheeses; i.e. jack and Colby
(One would do, but two are so much better.)

Flour tortillas

peppers; Pasillo, Poblano, Jalapeno, Anaheim are all good

corn - fresh or frozen

olive oil

sour cream

avocado

Quantities depend on how many you would like to make. Corn/pepper mix can be kept in refrigerator and used later.

Clean and chop the peppers and then saute the corn and peppers in a generous amount of olive oil on low for about 15 minutes.

Use the corn/pepper mixture along with cheese to fill tortillas and grill them in olive oil on medium low. Flip after 3 - 4 minutes. Quesadillas should be slightly brown on both sides, cheese should be melted.

These could be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  Garnish with sour cream and/or avocado.


You can't change the wind, but you can adjust your sails.
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