#COOKING WITH CLORIS--APRICOT PISTACHIO CHICKEN SALAD

Apricot Pistachio Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

Cooked chicken, skinned and cubed

Dried apricots, cut into bite-sized pieces

Celery, diced

Shelled salted pistachio nuts

Mayonnaise

Sour cream

This is a recipe to make when you have some leftover chicken. You’ll notice there are no amounts listed in the ingredients for this recipe. That’s because you decide how much to use based on what you have on hand and your particular taste. Chicken is the main ingredient. After that, it’s all up to you. There’s no formula. Add as much or as little of the other ingredients as you like.

Combine the chicken, apricots, celery, and pistachios. Mix equal amounts of mayonnaise and sour cream. Fold into the chicken mixture.

Chill at least one hour before serving.

COOKING WITH CLORIS - RASPBERRY APRICOT ALMOND GRANOLA

Raspberry Apricot Almond Granola

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup almond slivers

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/4 cup dried raspberries

1/4 cup dried apricots, cut into raspberry sized pieces

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl combine oats and almonds.

Simmer honey, sugar, and oil in a saucepan until mixture thickens. Add vanilla and almond extracts. Pour over oat/almond mixture. Toss to coat.

Spread mixture on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake approximately 30 minutes until mixture begins to brown. Stir every 10 minutes while baking.

Add raspberries and apricots after mixture cools.

COOKING WITH CLORIS -- APRICOT MOCHA CAKE

If you follow this blog, you know that our food editor Cloris McWerther comes up with the most incredible, to-die-for desserts, especially when she marries chocolate with other ingredients. But we here at American Woman magazine are also conscious of the fact that too many Americans are eating too many grams of sugar and too many calories. So, how do you have your cake and eat it without putting on the pounds. 

This is a topic that Cloris and health editor Janice Kerr have been discussing at some length. As a result, Cloris began experimenting with some of her recipes, cutting down the sugar and replacing some of the flour with whole wheat flour. Below is one of her successes. It contains 1 cup less sugar, replaces 1/4 of the flour with whole wheat flour, and uses skim milk instead of whole milk. We dare you to tell the difference. -- AP

APRICOT MOCHA CAKE
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/4 whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 ounce semi-sweet chocolate
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 skim milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 dried apricots, diced
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 cup cold espresso or coffee

In mixing bowl sift together first 5 ingredients. Set aside. Melt chocolate and butter in microwave. Stir in milk and vanilla. Fold into flour mixture. Pour into greased 9” x 9” pan. Combine brown sugar and cocoa. Sprinkle evenly over batter. Pour espresso or coffee over dry ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Yum! Now keep in mind we’re not claiming this is a diet dessert, but it’s less guilt-inducing than many of Cloris's creations. And as with so many other things, it’s OK to indulge once in awhile as long as you do so in moderation. From Cloris, Janice, and me, bon appetit! -- AP

COOKING WITH CLORIS--APRICOT CHICKEN

Chicken is a mainstay in our home because it’s relatively inexpensive and good for you, especially if you don’t fry it! Today Cloris serves up a chicken breast recipe that my family loves. -- AP

APRICOT CHICKEN
(serves 4)

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 glove garlic, minced
1 can (14.5 - 16 oz.) diced tomatoes
4 oz. can mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1/2 cup dried apricots, diced
1/2 dried cranberries

Brown chicken in olive oil, approximately 4 minutes per side. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook a minute longer. Add tomatoes, apricots, and cranberries and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered approximately 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until sauce is desired consistency.

Thanks, Cloris! I know our readers will enjoy this dish. Readers, what’s for dinner at your house tonight? Post a comment to enter the drawing for a chance to win a book from our Friday Book Club guest author. -- AP