| The dictionary defines an almond as the kernel of the | | | | Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley. Yield: |
| fruit of a tree. But Silk Road traders thought of | | | | 4 servings.ALMOND-APRICOT GRANOLADry |
| almonds as a portable and tasty food source. Many | | | | ingredients: 6 cups uncooked oatmeal, 1 teaspoon |
| cultures, including the Romans, reserved almonds for | | | | cinnamon, 1/2 cup sliced almondsWet ingredients: 2 |
| celebrations. Today, many of us prepare holiday | | | | tablespoons canola oil, 3 tablespoons frozen apple |
| recipes that contain almonds.Why have almonds been | | | | juice (undiluted), 1/4 cup honey, 2 teaspoons almond |
| popular for centuries?The answer: Almonds have a | | | | extractPreheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine dry |
| unique flavor and give food an extra crunch. Toasted | | | | ingredients in a large bowl. Combine wet ingredients in |
| almonds and golden raisins, for example, turn basic | | | | a small bowl. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix well. |
| cooked rice into a tasty pilaf. Almonds give green and | | | | Line a jelly roll pan with non-stick foil. Pour granola |
| meat salads an extra flavor punch. Adding 1/4 | | | | mixture into pan and spread evenly. Bake for about |
| teaspoon of almond extract to vanilla pudding mix | | | | 20 minutes, stirring twice, until granola is golden |
| makes it taste like made-from-scratch.Put almonds on | | | | brown. After granola has cooled add 1/4 cup dried |
| your grocery list and jazz up your meals. Curried | | | | apricots, cut into thin strips. Yield: About 7 |
| almond Soup sounds like company fare, but it's a | | | | cups.CHINESE ALMOND COOKIES (Sorry, these |
| yummy Saturday night supper when served with | | | | aren't low-cal.)1 cup butter-flavored Crisco, 1/2 cup |
| crusty bread. The Almond-Apricot Granola is perfect | | | | sugar, 1/2 cup Splenda, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 |
| at breakfast time and snack time. Almond extract | | | | teaspoon baking soda, 2 large eggs (room |
| and whole almonds make these Chinese Almond | | | | temperature), 1 tablespoon almond extract, 1/2 |
| Cookies doubly good.CURRIED ALMOND SOUP2 | | | | teaspoon salt, 3 cups pre-sifted flour, 1 teaspoon (or |
| tablespoons canola oil, 1 tablespoon butter, 1/2 cup | | | | more) of water, 1 package (3 1/4 ounces) whole |
| whole almonds, 2 tespoons (or more) curry powder, | | | | almondsIn large mixing bowl, beat Crisco, granulated |
| 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon granular flour, 2 cups | | | | sugar, Splenda, |
| skim milk, 2 cups low-fat chicken stock (from a | | | | and brown sugar until flullfy. Add eggs and almond |
| carton) 1/2 teaspoon light saltIn a large pan, saute | | | | extract. Beat one minute more. With mixer at lowest |
| almonds in canola oil, butter, and curry powder until | | | | speed, add remaining ingredients, EXCEPT almonds. |
| nuts are lightly browned. Remove nuts with slotted | | | | Finish blending dough with a wooden spoon, adding a |
| spoon and cool. Put almonds in a food processor and | | | | few drops of water if necessary.Form dough into |
| process for about 10 seconds, or until nuts are | | | | small balls. Roll balls in granulated sugar. Put balls on |
| ground.Sprinkle flour over remaining oil-butter in pan. | | | | prepared baking pan, one inch apart, and flatten |
| Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for one | | | | slightly. Place a whole almond in the center of each |
| minute to form a roux. Using a whisk, gradually add | | | | cookie. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until |
| milk and chicken stock to roux. Stir soup until slighty | | | | edges begin to brown. Yield: 5 dozen.Copyright 2005 |
| thickened. Add ground almonds and salt to soup. | | | | by Harriet Hodgson. |