It was just one of those kinds of days yesterday.  I was wanting something other than the usual Thanksgiving fare of apple pie and pumpkin cheesecake.  I was craving a quick bread.  My typical go to bread is a banana nut.  But yes, we have no bananas.  Zucchini.  Nope.  Just yellow squash.  A forage in the pantry and I decided to have a go at apricot bread as I had a can of apricots and a box of dried ones.  What else.  No coconuts.  No pecans.  But I did find some cashews.  Now we’re talking.  A handful of raisins and we are well on our way.

The recipe is easily adaptable to whatever you have on hand and the outside of the loaf crunchy and oh so yummy while the inside remains moist and full of flavor.    

CRUNCHY APRICOT BREAD 

3 eggs

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup apricot juice reserved from the can of apricots

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1 can apricot halves, cut into chunks, juice reserved

1/2 cup dried apricots, cut into pieces

1/2 raisins

1/2 cup cashews, coarsely chopped

Combine eggs, oil, apricot syrup  and sugars together in one bowl.  Combine the flour and other dry ingredients in a second bowl.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until barely combined.  Add the canned apricots, dried apricots, raisins and nuts and stir until combined.

Butter and flour a loaf pan and pour the mixture in.  Bake at 350 for 90 minutes.