Snack Time!

On the shelf at Costco, next to the raisins (or dried grapes), you'll find the dried plums (or prunes). Our experiments with the raisins were quite successful and we're looking forward to trying some prune recipes. How long do you think it will take to go through this bag?

While scrolling through possibilities, this recipe looked like a winner, so I determined to try it first. We'll call it the 4 "P" Appetizer - stuff a prune with a pecan half and bit of Parmesan cheese, then wrap with a slice of prosciutto and bake for a few minutes. It reminded me of a recipe we tried a few years ago, one we weren't sure we'd like, but ended up being very delicious - Bacon-Wrapped Dates.

This next one is even simpler, because it doesn't involve the oven. Stuff the prune with a walnut half and roll in cinnamon-sugar. Quite tasty!

The third snack is a bit more involved. Combine almonds, oatmeal, prunes and chocolate chips in a food processor. Once the mixture is finely chopped, form it into balls. It will be sticky! The original recipe said to form 2" balls, but I prefer smaller, bite-sized ones. I used 1/2 cup almonds, 1/2 cup prunes, 1/4 cup oats and 2-3 tablespoons chocolate chips which made 12 balls.

Another varation, called Prune Power Balls, mixed the prunes with just cashews and then rolled the balls in coconut.

Many of the recipes I looked at used prune puree instead of just dried plums, so I made a batch. Pour boiling water over the dried plums/prunes and let it set for about 15 minutes. Drain off the liquid, but reserve it for a bit. Place the prunes in the food processer along with a tablespoon or two of the reserved liquid and blend until smooth. Add more "prune juice" until it reaches the desired consistency.

Now you can make some fudgy brownies! These aren't quite as "fudgy" as I like, but they're still quite delicious, and they made an excellent base for a Brownie Sundae.

Brownies with Prune Puree

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

½ cup wheat flour 

¾ cup sugar 

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 eggs, lightly beaten

¼ cup prune puree

½ cup chocolate chips

½ cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped (optional)

Combine the dry ingredients, then stir in the wet ones until just mixed. Pour into a greased 8x8" square pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

We made a nice dent in the bag, and enjoyed some yummy treats. Stay tuned to learn how we use the rest!