apricot brandy bread

Combine apricots & brandy; cover and refrigerate overnight. Cream shortening; gradually add sugar and beating well. Add egg, and mix well. Combine one cup flour with baking soda, spices, and salt; set aside. Add pecans to apricot mixture; combine with reserved flour mixture. Toss well to coat all pieces with flour; set aside. Add remaining one cup flour to shortening/sugar mixture alternating with applesauce, (beginning and ending with flour mixture). Stir in reserved apricot mixture. Pour into a greased 9 x 5 x 3 loafpan; bake at 350 deg. for 1 hour and 15 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool loaf in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Yield: 1 loaf. Notes: May be frozen up to 3 months. This is more of a sweet cake than a bread. May be wrapped in cheeecake and soaked with additional brandy and stored in a tin, if desired. Judy Garnett From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini