Splicer205
Deceased
Hope someone finds this info useful in using dried fruits. There are some recipes following the info. Many of the recipes were taken from the internet and I don't have the source, but many thanks to the recipe creators.
USING DRIED FRUIT IN RECIPES
from the January 1985 "Drying Times"
by Barb Moody
It is easy to use dried fruit in recipes that call for fresh or frozen fruit. Follow these simple guidelines to insure perfect results every time.
In general, use half as much dried fruit as you would fresh. Since dried fruit does not pack as well as fresh fruit, be generous with your measurements. (Use "heaping" portions.)
For most recipes, fruit that is used has very little extra water in its fresh form. When substituting dried fruit in these recipes, reconstitute the fruit using equal parts of liquid and fruit.
For recipes calling for fruit in sauces (compotes, dumplings, toppings, etc.), use twice as much liquid as fruit.
Instead of using water to reconstitute fruit, substitute a complimentary fruit juice. This not only enhances the flavor but it adds sweetness thus reducing the amount of extra sweetener needed.
If there is excess liquid after fruit is reconstituted, drain it off but don't throw it away. Try to reuse it as part of the liquid used in the recipe. For instance, many recipes call for milk. Substitute evaporated or dry milk and use excess liquid to make the milk.
Fruit will reconstitute faster in hot liquids or if simmered. If you prefer not to cook or heat fruit, it should be soaked for several hours or overnight. Using a tightly sealed container that can be shaken or turned over, helps to mix fruit with water.
The smaller the pieces of fruit, the faster it will reconstitute. Shredded fruit will dehydrate quickly, usually in 15 minutes or so. Diced fruit will usually take 2 or 3 hours. Whole fruit should be allowed to soak overnight.
Now for the recipes:
Super Bars with Dried Fruit and Peanut Butter
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
3 C. puffed whole grain cereal (such as Kashi)
1/4 C. walnuts, chopped
1/4 C. chopped pitted dates
1/4 C. dried tart cherries
1/2 C. raisins
1/3 C. creamy peanut butter or almond butter
1/4 C. honey
1/4 C. light corn syrup
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch square metal baking pan with nonstick spray. Mix cereal, walnuts, dates, cherries and raisins in a medium bowl. Combine peanut butter, honey and corn syrup in a heavy small saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly until mixture bubbles vigorously and thicken slightly, about one minute.
Pour peanut butter mixture over the cereal mixture in the bowl; stir to blend.
Transfer the mixture in a prepared pan; press to compact. Bake until just golden around edges, about 10 minutes. Cool completely.
Cut into nine bars.
Can be prepared three days ahead. Store in a single layer between sheets of foil in an airtight container at room temperature.
Dried Fruit and Nut Bars
Ingredients
1/2 cup Butter softened
1 cup Brown Sugar packed
1 Egg beaten
1 Orange
1 cup All-Purpose Flour sifted
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Oatmeal uncooked oats
Water as needed
3/4 cup Dried CherriesDried Cherries (Dried Tart Cherries or Dried Rainer Cherries)
1/4 cup Macadamia NutsMacadamia Nuts or Hazelnuts toasted and chopped
2 tablespoons Dried Coconut ChipsDried Coconut Chips
1 tablespoons Orange Juice
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in the egg. Add remaining ingredients and combine thoroughly. Mixture should be slightly moist (if necessary, add a small amount of water). Spread into a non-stick 9 by 9 inch baking pan. Bake 20 minutes, or until browned and crispy. Cool on a rack about 15 minutes before inverting onto a cutting surface. Cool and cut into pieces.
Blueberry Cranberry Muffins
Ingredients
3½ cups flour
½ cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1½ cups milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup fat free sour cream
2 eggs, beaten
4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, unthawed if frozen
4 Tbsp sugar
8 oz dried cranberries
Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners and set aside. Preheat oven to 400º F. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, ½ cup sugar, baking powder and salt and stir to mix. Combine milk, oil and eggs in a medium bowl and beat with a wire whisk until blended. Make a well in dry ingredients and pour the liquid ingredients into the well all at once. Stir until just moistened. In a medium bowl, combine 4 Tbsp. sugar and blueberries and toss to coat with sugar. Stir gently into batter just until blueberries are distributed. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling ¾ full. Bake at 400º F for 20–25 minutes, until light golden brown and firm to the touch. Let cool on wire rack 3–4 minutes, then remove muffins from pan and cool completely on wire rack. Store tightly covered at room temperature. 24 muffins.
Swiss Cold Oat Cereal Mix
2/3 cup rolled oats
1 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup almonds
1 cup fresh or dried apples, peaches and/or raisins (or any combination)
Yogurt, milk or cream to taste
Honey, brown sugar, sugar or Splenda to taste
Combine oats, orange juice and lemon juice in mixing bowl; cover and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, stir in almonds and fruit. Combine with yogurt, milk or cream, depending on preference, and sweeten as needed.
Acorn Squash Bake
2 acorn squash
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup chopped pecans
3 TBS firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 tbs cinnamon
Cut each acorn squash in half, remove seeds and fiber. Place cut side down in baking pan with small amount of water in bottom. Bake in a 350-degree oven 45 to 50 minutes or until squash is tender and can be pierced with a fork. (Or place squash cut side down in a microwave-safe container. Add a little water. Microwave on High (100% power) 5 to 7 minutes, turning dish once. Continue cooking, if necessary, until squash is tender.)
Meanwhile, combine butter, cherries, pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon. Heat on top of stove on in microwave oven until butter melts. Fill center of each squash half with one-quarter of the cherry mixture. Mix some of the cooked squash with the cherry filling. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings
Cherry Orange Poppy Seed Muffin
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup granulated sugar
* 1 TBS poppy seeds
* 1 TBS baking power
* 1/4 tbs salt
* 1 cup milk
* 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted butter
* 1 egg, slightly beaten
* 1/2 cup dried cherries
* 3 TBS grated orange peel
Combine flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add milk, melted butter and egg, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Gently stir in cherries and orange peel. Rill paper lined muffin cups 3/4 full.
Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven 18 to 22 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan 5 minutes. Remove from pan and serve warm or let cool completely
Spiced Cherry Salad
* 1 cup dried cherries
* 1 11oz can mandarin orange sections, drained
* 2 kiwi, peeled and sliced
* 1/4 cup orange juice
* 1/4 cup sifted confectioner's sugar
* 1/4 tsb ground cinnamon
* 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
Put dried cherries, mandarin orange sections and kiwi slices in a salad bowl. combine orange juice, confectioner's sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; mix well. Pour orange juice mixture over fruit mixture; mix gently. Refrigerate, covered, 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with toasted almonds just before serving.
DRIED APPLE PIE
Soak approximately 3 cups of dried apple slices in about 2-1/2 cups of water for several hours or overnight. The "apple juice" created by soaking is used in the recipe.
# Mix the following ingredients with the rehydrated apples: 1/2 cup apple juice (the juice off of the soaked apples)
# 1/4 cup rice flour or plain flour
# 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
# 1/4 tsp. cloves
Place in a nine inch pie pan
OAT-RICE TOPPING
# 3/4 cup rice flour
# 3/4 cup rolled oats
# 1/4 cup apple juice
# 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
# 1/2 cup oil
# 1/4 tsp. salt
# 1 Tbsp. honey
Mix together until it forms a crumbly mass. Spread it over the top of the fruit mixture. Bake at 350° F for 25 minutes.
NOTE: You can substitute wheat flour, or other flours, for the rice flour in the recipe.
USING DRIED FRUIT IN RECIPES
from the January 1985 "Drying Times"
by Barb Moody
It is easy to use dried fruit in recipes that call for fresh or frozen fruit. Follow these simple guidelines to insure perfect results every time.
In general, use half as much dried fruit as you would fresh. Since dried fruit does not pack as well as fresh fruit, be generous with your measurements. (Use "heaping" portions.)
For most recipes, fruit that is used has very little extra water in its fresh form. When substituting dried fruit in these recipes, reconstitute the fruit using equal parts of liquid and fruit.
For recipes calling for fruit in sauces (compotes, dumplings, toppings, etc.), use twice as much liquid as fruit.
Instead of using water to reconstitute fruit, substitute a complimentary fruit juice. This not only enhances the flavor but it adds sweetness thus reducing the amount of extra sweetener needed.
If there is excess liquid after fruit is reconstituted, drain it off but don't throw it away. Try to reuse it as part of the liquid used in the recipe. For instance, many recipes call for milk. Substitute evaporated or dry milk and use excess liquid to make the milk.
Fruit will reconstitute faster in hot liquids or if simmered. If you prefer not to cook or heat fruit, it should be soaked for several hours or overnight. Using a tightly sealed container that can be shaken or turned over, helps to mix fruit with water.
The smaller the pieces of fruit, the faster it will reconstitute. Shredded fruit will dehydrate quickly, usually in 15 minutes or so. Diced fruit will usually take 2 or 3 hours. Whole fruit should be allowed to soak overnight.
Now for the recipes:
Super Bars with Dried Fruit and Peanut Butter
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
3 C. puffed whole grain cereal (such as Kashi)
1/4 C. walnuts, chopped
1/4 C. chopped pitted dates
1/4 C. dried tart cherries
1/2 C. raisins
1/3 C. creamy peanut butter or almond butter
1/4 C. honey
1/4 C. light corn syrup
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch square metal baking pan with nonstick spray. Mix cereal, walnuts, dates, cherries and raisins in a medium bowl. Combine peanut butter, honey and corn syrup in a heavy small saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly until mixture bubbles vigorously and thicken slightly, about one minute.
Pour peanut butter mixture over the cereal mixture in the bowl; stir to blend.
Transfer the mixture in a prepared pan; press to compact. Bake until just golden around edges, about 10 minutes. Cool completely.
Cut into nine bars.
Can be prepared three days ahead. Store in a single layer between sheets of foil in an airtight container at room temperature.
Dried Fruit and Nut Bars
Ingredients
1/2 cup Butter softened
1 cup Brown Sugar packed
1 Egg beaten
1 Orange
1 cup All-Purpose Flour sifted
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Oatmeal uncooked oats
Water as needed
3/4 cup Dried CherriesDried Cherries (Dried Tart Cherries or Dried Rainer Cherries)
1/4 cup Macadamia NutsMacadamia Nuts or Hazelnuts toasted and chopped
2 tablespoons Dried Coconut ChipsDried Coconut Chips
1 tablespoons Orange Juice
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in the egg. Add remaining ingredients and combine thoroughly. Mixture should be slightly moist (if necessary, add a small amount of water). Spread into a non-stick 9 by 9 inch baking pan. Bake 20 minutes, or until browned and crispy. Cool on a rack about 15 minutes before inverting onto a cutting surface. Cool and cut into pieces.
Blueberry Cranberry Muffins
Ingredients
3½ cups flour
½ cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1½ cups milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup fat free sour cream
2 eggs, beaten
4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, unthawed if frozen
4 Tbsp sugar
8 oz dried cranberries
Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners and set aside. Preheat oven to 400º F. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, ½ cup sugar, baking powder and salt and stir to mix. Combine milk, oil and eggs in a medium bowl and beat with a wire whisk until blended. Make a well in dry ingredients and pour the liquid ingredients into the well all at once. Stir until just moistened. In a medium bowl, combine 4 Tbsp. sugar and blueberries and toss to coat with sugar. Stir gently into batter just until blueberries are distributed. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling ¾ full. Bake at 400º F for 20–25 minutes, until light golden brown and firm to the touch. Let cool on wire rack 3–4 minutes, then remove muffins from pan and cool completely on wire rack. Store tightly covered at room temperature. 24 muffins.
Swiss Cold Oat Cereal Mix
2/3 cup rolled oats
1 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup almonds
1 cup fresh or dried apples, peaches and/or raisins (or any combination)
Yogurt, milk or cream to taste
Honey, brown sugar, sugar or Splenda to taste
Combine oats, orange juice and lemon juice in mixing bowl; cover and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, stir in almonds and fruit. Combine with yogurt, milk or cream, depending on preference, and sweeten as needed.
Acorn Squash Bake
2 acorn squash
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup chopped pecans
3 TBS firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 tbs cinnamon
Cut each acorn squash in half, remove seeds and fiber. Place cut side down in baking pan with small amount of water in bottom. Bake in a 350-degree oven 45 to 50 minutes or until squash is tender and can be pierced with a fork. (Or place squash cut side down in a microwave-safe container. Add a little water. Microwave on High (100% power) 5 to 7 minutes, turning dish once. Continue cooking, if necessary, until squash is tender.)
Meanwhile, combine butter, cherries, pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon. Heat on top of stove on in microwave oven until butter melts. Fill center of each squash half with one-quarter of the cherry mixture. Mix some of the cooked squash with the cherry filling. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings
Cherry Orange Poppy Seed Muffin
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup granulated sugar
* 1 TBS poppy seeds
* 1 TBS baking power
* 1/4 tbs salt
* 1 cup milk
* 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted butter
* 1 egg, slightly beaten
* 1/2 cup dried cherries
* 3 TBS grated orange peel
Combine flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add milk, melted butter and egg, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Gently stir in cherries and orange peel. Rill paper lined muffin cups 3/4 full.
Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven 18 to 22 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan 5 minutes. Remove from pan and serve warm or let cool completely
Spiced Cherry Salad
* 1 cup dried cherries
* 1 11oz can mandarin orange sections, drained
* 2 kiwi, peeled and sliced
* 1/4 cup orange juice
* 1/4 cup sifted confectioner's sugar
* 1/4 tsb ground cinnamon
* 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
Put dried cherries, mandarin orange sections and kiwi slices in a salad bowl. combine orange juice, confectioner's sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; mix well. Pour orange juice mixture over fruit mixture; mix gently. Refrigerate, covered, 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with toasted almonds just before serving.
DRIED APPLE PIE
Soak approximately 3 cups of dried apple slices in about 2-1/2 cups of water for several hours or overnight. The "apple juice" created by soaking is used in the recipe.
# Mix the following ingredients with the rehydrated apples: 1/2 cup apple juice (the juice off of the soaked apples)
# 1/4 cup rice flour or plain flour
# 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
# 1/4 tsp. cloves
Place in a nine inch pie pan
OAT-RICE TOPPING
# 3/4 cup rice flour
# 3/4 cup rolled oats
# 1/4 cup apple juice
# 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
# 1/2 cup oil
# 1/4 tsp. salt
# 1 Tbsp. honey
Mix together until it forms a crumbly mass. Spread it over the top of the fruit mixture. Bake at 350° F for 25 minutes.
NOTE: You can substitute wheat flour, or other flours, for the rice flour in the recipe.