Apricot-Orange Short bread Bars & Grape Balls
HAH!
I asked my sister for some recipes @ TG then again at Christmas. I'd given up on her actually remembering/getting around to it.
As it turns out she hadn't forgotten, she was just running a bit slow.
SO not diet food, but figured I'd share since both the apricot bars & the grape balls are fantastic. The grape balls are a healthier alternative to many of side dishes I've seen at pot luck type events though. She doesn't say it, but for the grape balls the giant seedless red grapes seem to work best IMO. She made them with smaller ones a second time and they weren't as good. The grape to cheese ratio was a little much (on the cheese side).
apricot-orange shortbread bars
ingredients
1 c apricot preserves
3 T orange liqueur
1 c unsalted butter, room temp
3/4 c sugar
1 tsp almond ex
2 c ap flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 c packed almond paste, crumbled
1/2 c sliced almonds, divided
prep
preheat oven to 325 degrees.
butter 9x9x2in metal baking pan;line bottom and sides of pan with parchment paper, extending over sides. Butter parchment.
mix preserves and orange liqueur in small bowl, set aside.
using mixer, beat 1 c butter and sugar in large bowl until well blended.
beat in almond extract.
add flour and salt, beat just until blended.
transfer 1 c of dough to another small bowl, add crumbled almond paste and mix with fingertips until small clumps form.
mix in 1/4 c sliced almonds, set aside for topping.
press remaining dough evenly onto bottom of prepared pan.
spread preserves mixture evenly over.
using fingertips, coarsely crumble topping over preserves, then sprinkle 1/4 c almonds over.
press topping lightly into preserves.
bake shortbread until top and crust edges are golden brown, about 1 hour.
cool completely in pan on rack.
using parchment paper as aid, lift shortbread from pan.
cut into 4 equal strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 8 bars.
store in single layer in airtight container at room temp up to 4days.
grape balls
you can adjust this as you like it. its not an exact recipe or anything. sometimes i just use what i have on hand. fyi, it is messy and time consuming, but always a crowd pleaser!
i like using red grapes. whatever is sweet n juicy :)
wash and dry them
in large bowl mix 1 block cream cheese, goat cheese, and another cheese of your choice(if you want), i change it up all the time (blue, shredded cheddars, Havarti, fetta, etc). mix in some salt and pepper
in a food processor, blend about 1.5-2 c nuts/seeds or herbs together. i really like using walnuts or almonds, but use what you have. adding a little parsley for color is nice too.
put nuts on a plate or cookie sheet.
with clean hands take one grape, and a put a little cheese mix all around grape so it covers most of it.
roll cheesy grape in nuts
place on platter.... on to the next :) or eat and enjoy!!!
I asked my sister for some recipes @ TG then again at Christmas. I'd given up on her actually remembering/getting around to it.
As it turns out she hadn't forgotten, she was just running a bit slow.
SO not diet food, but figured I'd share since both the apricot bars & the grape balls are fantastic. The grape balls are a healthier alternative to many of side dishes I've seen at pot luck type events though. She doesn't say it, but for the grape balls the giant seedless red grapes seem to work best IMO. She made them with smaller ones a second time and they weren't as good. The grape to cheese ratio was a little much (on the cheese side).
apricot-orange shortbread bars
ingredients
1 c apricot preserves
3 T orange liqueur
1 c unsalted butter, room temp
3/4 c sugar
1 tsp almond ex
2 c ap flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 c packed almond paste, crumbled
1/2 c sliced almonds, divided
prep
preheat oven to 325 degrees.
butter 9x9x2in metal baking pan;line bottom and sides of pan with parchment paper, extending over sides. Butter parchment.
mix preserves and orange liqueur in small bowl, set aside.
using mixer, beat 1 c butter and sugar in large bowl until well blended.
beat in almond extract.
add flour and salt, beat just until blended.
transfer 1 c of dough to another small bowl, add crumbled almond paste and mix with fingertips until small clumps form.
mix in 1/4 c sliced almonds, set aside for topping.
press remaining dough evenly onto bottom of prepared pan.
spread preserves mixture evenly over.
using fingertips, coarsely crumble topping over preserves, then sprinkle 1/4 c almonds over.
press topping lightly into preserves.
bake shortbread until top and crust edges are golden brown, about 1 hour.
cool completely in pan on rack.
using parchment paper as aid, lift shortbread from pan.
cut into 4 equal strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 8 bars.
store in single layer in airtight container at room temp up to 4days.
grape balls
you can adjust this as you like it. its not an exact recipe or anything. sometimes i just use what i have on hand. fyi, it is messy and time consuming, but always a crowd pleaser!
i like using red grapes. whatever is sweet n juicy :)
wash and dry them
in large bowl mix 1 block cream cheese, goat cheese, and another cheese of your choice(if you want), i change it up all the time (blue, shredded cheddars, Havarti, fetta, etc). mix in some salt and pepper
in a food processor, blend about 1.5-2 c nuts/seeds or herbs together. i really like using walnuts or almonds, but use what you have. adding a little parsley for color is nice too.
put nuts on a plate or cookie sheet.
with clean hands take one grape, and a put a little cheese mix all around grape so it covers most of it.
roll cheesy grape in nuts
place on platter.... on to the next :) or eat and enjoy!!!