Sugarplums

1 c. almonds
3/4 c. walnuts
3/4 c. dried apricots
3/4 c. diced dates
3/4 c. raisins
zest and juice of 1 orange (may substitute a few tablespoons of bottled orange juice)
gold sanding sugar or white table sugar, optional [Sanding sugar is a larger crystal than table sugar and has a beautiful sparkle.]

Process the ingredients in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Add orange juice (original recipe says 1/4 c. but I found that to be too much) and pulse until the mixture sticks together. Shape into balls and roll in gold sparkling sugar, if you like. Store in fridge. Makes 24-30. At least that is what the original recipes says. It came from the “Family Fun” magazine, p. 24, in the Dec./Jan. issue of 2002.

I don’t have a food processor, so I do it in a blender.

I mix the walnuts and almonds together in one bowl.

In another bowl, I mix the dried fruit and the zest of one orange.

I process about a fourth of the recipe at a time, and always put the nuts in the bottom so the mixture doesn’t gum up the blades.

It ends up looking like a coarse meal.

Add enough orange juice (I used the juice of one medium sized orange) to make the mixture hold together.

Form into one inch balls and roll in sparkling sugar. I used gold sugar which I purchased at The Baker’s Kitchen.

They can be made without the sugary coating, but it does add a pretty sparkle. ~~Rhonda