Nutty Apricot Bars

Total Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 12 ounces dried apricots
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, softened (or margarine)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 ounces coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup pecans or 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Recipe

• 1 cover apricots with water, and bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes or until tender.
• 2 drain, reserving 1/4 cup liquid.
• 3 coarsely chop apricots, and set aside. combine reserved apricot liquid and 3/4 cup sugar in a saucepan; simmer 5 minutes.
• 4 stir in chopped apricots.
• 5 cream butter; gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating at medium speed of an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
• 6 combine flour, baking soda, and salt; add floured mixture to creamed mixture, mixing well (mixture will be crumbly). stir in coconut and pecans.
• 7 pat about three-fourths of coconut mixture into and ungreased 13x9-inch pan.
• 8 bake at 350°f for 10 minutes.
• 9 spread apricot mixture evenly over crust, spreading to within 1/4 inch from edge of pan.
• 10 sprinkle with remaining coconut mixture. bake an additional 30 minutes.
• 11 let cool in pan; chill.
• 12 cut into bars.
• 13 store in refrigerator.