So, I found myself with a rather generous jar of apricot jam the other week. My sister made a huge batch and shared some. Now, I love a bit of jam on my morning toast, but this was a lot of jam. I figured, right, let’s get a bit more creative than just spreading it on bread. Time to actually use it in some cooking.
My First Go: Apricot Glazed Chicken
The first thing that popped into my head was a glaze. I do enjoy a good sweet and savory combo, especially with chicken. So, I decided to try making an apricot glaze for some chicken thighs I had.
Here’s what I did, pretty straightforward really:
- I scooped out maybe half a cup of the apricot jam into a small saucepan.
- Added a splash of soy sauce – just for that salty depth, you know?
- Then a tiny bit of garlic powder and a pinch of ginger. I didn’t want to overpower the apricot.
- I just warmed that all up on low heat, stirring it until it was all nice and combined, a bit looser than straight-up jam.
I had my chicken thighs already seasoned with salt and pepper, baking in the oven. About ten minutes before they were done, I brushed this glaze all over them. Then popped them back in. Did it again about five minutes later. The kitchen started smelling amazing. The sugar in the jam caramelized a bit under the broiler for the last minute or two, giving the chicken this lovely color and slightly crispy edges. It was a winner! The family really enjoyed that. Simple, but really effective.
Next Up: Baking Some Treats
After the success with the chicken, I was feeling a bit more adventurous. I remembered my grandma used to make these lovely little tarts with apricot jam. I didn’t have the patience for full-on pastry, but I thought, what about some quick cookies?
So, thumbprint cookies it was. I used my standard shortbread cookie dough recipe – nothing fancy.
The key part was, once I rolled the dough into little balls and put them on the baking sheet, I made an indent in the middle of each one with my thumb. Real technical, I know!
Then, I just spooned a tiny bit of that apricot jam into each little crater. A little tip here: don’t overfill them, or the jam bubbles out and makes a sticky mess on your baking tray. I learned that the hard way a long time ago.
They baked up beautifully. The jam got all bubbly and a bit concentrated, and the sweetness with the buttery cookie was just perfect with a cup of tea. Super easy, and they looked quite pretty too.
Other Little Things I Tried
Beyond those two main “projects,” I found myself stirring a spoonful into my morning oatmeal. Gave it a nice fruity kick without being too sugary. And one evening, I even mixed a bit with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil to make a quick dressing for a salad that had some goat cheese in it. That was surprisingly good – the tang of the apricot worked really well with the cheese.
Honestly, I was surprised how versatile that jar of apricot jam turned out to be. It’s not just for toast, not by a long shot. It’s got this nice balance of sweetness and a little bit of tartness that really lends itself well to both sweet and savory dishes. I’m already thinking about what to try next when my sister makes another batch!
