Foodie Friday

This Friday is YUMMY!!!! Sweet for our sweets!!!

Apricots with Mascarpone Cream

source: allrecipies.com

By: miki

"Fresh ripe apricots stuffed with a slightly sweetened mascarpone cheese drizzled with a sweet honey balsamic sauce. You can use a piping bag for the cream to make this look extra fancy"

Prep Time:30 Min

Ready In: 30 Min

Original Recipe Yield 16 stuffed apricot halves

Ingredients

1 cup whipping cream

3 tablespoons white sugar

4 ounces mascarpone cheese

2 tablespoons apricot nectar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 pinch ground cardamom (optional)

3 tablespoons apricot preserves

1/4 cup honey

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

8 fresh apricots, pitted and halved

Directions

Beat the cream in a chilled bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Beat in the sugar and set aside. In another bowl, whip the mascarpone cheese with an electric mixer until very soft; beat in the apricot nectar, vanilla extract, and cardamom. Gently fold the mascarpone mixture into the whipped cream.

Place the apricot preserves and honey into a microwave-safe bowl and heat in microwave oven until warm but not hot, about 30 seconds. Mix well and stir the balsamic vinegar into the honey mixture.

Stuff each apricot half with a dollop of the mascarpone cream and place the filled apricot halves on a serving dish. Drizzle the fruit and plate with balsamic sauce and serve.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 253 | Total Fat: 17.7g | Cholesterol: 58mg

Apricot & White Cherry Sangria

source: thebubblygirl.com

By Maria Hunt aka The Bubbly Girl

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

8 fresh apricots, cut in quarters

1 cup white cherries, pitted and halved

1 white Asian pear, cored and diced

1 lemon halved and thinly sliced in half moons

Juice of 1 orange or 2 tangerines

1/2 cup apricot brandy

1/2 cup Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur (at BevMo)

1/2 cup Landy Cognac

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon orange bitters

1 bottle brut sparkling wine, well chilled

handful fresh mint, torn

Directions

Add the apricots, cherries, Asian pear, lemon slices and orange or tangerine juice to a large pitcher. Top with the apricot brandy, Maraschino and Cognac. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve. You could let the sangria sit for a while in the refrigerator at this point so the fruit has some time to soak and release its flavors. Or if you’re in a hurry, next add the orange bitters and sparkling wine to the pitcher. Add a cup of crushed ice, since this is a pretty potent sangria or you could add another bottle of sparkling wine if you want it to serve more people. Top with the freshly torn mint and serve by ladling some fruit into each glass and then pouring sangria on top.