Apricot Bars

½ cup butter, softened

¼ cup sugar

1 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine butter, sugar, and flour until crumbly. Press into bottom of greased, 8-inch square baking pan. Bake 25 minutes.

2/3 cup dried apricots, rinsed or fresh

1/3 cup flour

½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

½ tsp vanilla

½ cup chopped walnuts

If using dried apricot, in a saucepan, cover apricots with water and simmer 10 minutes. Drain, cool, and coarsely chop. If using fresh apricots, just coarsely chop.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat eggs, then gradually beat in brown sugar. Stir in flour mixture, flavoring, nuts and chopped apricots.

Spread apricot mixture over baked crust. Return to oven for another 30 minutes. Cool in pan before cutting into 1x 2” bars.