DRIED FRUIT AND CHICKEN PIZZA -- Process dried plums or apricots with water, balsamic vinegar, oil, garlic, rosemary and salt until finely chopped. Spread mixture on bread shell or pizza crust and arrange chopped cooked chicken, crumbled blue cheese and red onion slices on to. Bake for about 10 minutes.

DRIED FRUIT AND LENTILS -- Sauté chopped onion, garlic and dried apricots or prunes in olive oil. Add red lentils and vegetable stock; bring to boil and simmer 30 minutes. Add plum tomatoes, cumin, thyme, salt and pepper and simmer 10 more minutes. Add lemon juice. Puree half of soup and return to pot.

DRIED FRUIT AND MEATBALL SOUP -- Mix ground beef with grated onions, cinnamon, pepper and salt and roll into small meatballs. Cook rice for 15 minutes, add dried prunes and cook for another 15 minutes. Add water or broth if needed. Add meat balls, dried apricots, chopped walnuts, chopped parsley, and sautéed onions and let cook for another about 20 minutes. Add vinegar and sugar and continue to cook for about 15 more minutes. Just before removing from heat, add dried mint, cinnamon and pepper.

DRIED FRUIT AND OKRA -- Stir fry chopped okra and onion; add dried fruit (prunes, apricots, raisins, etc.), prune juice, tomato juice and quarter of a lemon (rind and fruit). Simmer 15 minutes. Serve warm or chilled.

DRIED FRUIT AND PORK -- In saucepan, heat orange marmalade with brown sugar until sugar is dissolved; brush over pork tenderloin. Add beef broth, red wine, chopped dried apricots and raisins to the pan. Cover and bake at 350° for about 45 minutes, or until no longer pink, basting frequently with pan juices. Serve sliced, with sauce and fruit spooned over to

DRIED FRUIT AND RICE -- Sauté onion in butter until tender, add uncooked long grain rice, mixed dried fruit bits, chicken broth and sage. Stir well, bring to boil and reduce to simmer until done. Stir in parsley and a few tablespoons of apricot preserves. Good as stuffing or accompaniment to chicken or pork.

DRIED FRUIT AND STEAK -- Make a sauce of any dried fruit (plums, apricots or a mix) by cooking fruit in beef broth and balsamic vinegar with chopped green onions, and thickening with cornstarch/broth mixture. Spoon over grilled steaks.

DRIED FRUIT, FRESH FRUIT AND CHICKEN -- Brown chicken in butter, stir in curry powder then mix in vermouth or dry white wine, then dried plums (halved) or apricots slices. Cover and simmer until chicken is done. Remove chicken and dried fruit. Add grapes, peach slices and/or pineapple chunks and brown sugar to pan juices and boil then simmer until syrupy. Spoon fruit sauce over chicken and top with toasted slivered almonds or walnut piece

DRIED FRUIT SALAD IDEAS -- Dried plums; roasted red beets, cut into wedges; mixed salad greens tossed with a balsamic vinegar dressing and topped with crumbled blue cheese and unsalted shelled pistachios. -- Coarsely chopped dried plums and/or apricots, grilled chicken strips and blanched green beans tossed with an apple-walnut vinaigrette (blend peeled pieces of Granny Smith apple, peeled shallot, apple cider vinegar, a bit of sugar, olive oil and walnut oil until creamy, and season with salt and pepper). Top with crumbled goat cheese and spiced pecans that have been tossed with oil, brown sugar, ground red pepper and cumin and browned in oven. -- Dried figs, fresh apple slices on a bed of salad greens, topped with most any dressing and garnished with raisins and chopped dates. -- Dried cherries, fresh pineapple wedges, thinly sliced red onion, torn spinach leaves tossed with red wine vinegar, olive oil, honey and black pepper and topped with crumbled feta cheese.

DRIED PLUM AND TOMATOES WITH FISH -- Cook chopped onions and minced garlic; add cinnamon, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir in can of stewed tomatoes, coarsely chopped dried plums and dry red wine; bring to boil then simmer five minutes. Add any firm fish fillets and simmer in sauce until cooked. Serve over rice, if desired, and sprinkle with cilantro.

DRIED PLUMS OR APRICOTS AND SALMON -- In pan, boil dried fruit and water, then simmer about 20 minutes. Blend and puree fruit with one cup of cooking liquid (add more water if necessary), dry red wine, lemon juice, oil, grated lemon peel, tablespoon of sugar, pepper, salt, cinnamon, allspice and cloves. Return to pan and simmer about 10 minutes. Serve over broiled or grilled salmon.

DRIED PLUMS OR APRICOTS WITH SHRIMP AND NOODLES -- Stir-fry thinly sliced carrots and red bell pepper in oil, then add peeled shrimp, chopped dried fruit, thinly sliced zucchini and sliced green onion. Add a mixture of chicken broth, teriyaki sauce, brown sugar, dry sherry, finely chopped garlic, finely chopped fresh ginger and crushed red pepper flakes; cook and stir until shrimp is pink. Serve over angel hair pasta and top with chopped peanuts.