Apricot Pasta Salad

                                                           My fruitless Apricot Tree


I found this recipe and made it last year with the apricots off our trees.  It is a amazing salad.  It sounds really weird but it is really good.  When our apricots tree was in bloom and the fruit was getting ready to set, we had some really cold weather. They Froze!!!  No Apricots this year.  Sad Day!!!! The store bought ones just do not taste the same. still good  even store bought.  Here you go a really good salad for this time of year.  Enjoy!!!

 4 oz fusilli (corkscrew) pasta
 6 fresh apricots  (3/4 lb) cut into quarters
1 whole chicken breast cooked and shredded
2 small zucchini julienned
1 red bell pepper julienned
1 T. chopped fresh basil or 2 t. dried  ( better with the fresh)
 Apricot Basil Dressing  (recipe follows)

1. cook pasta as package directs: drain and let cool.
 2. combine pasta, apricots, chicken, zucchini, red pepper and basil in bowl.
 3. Toss with dressing

 Apricot Basil Dressing
1. combine 2 fresh ripe apricots (pitted)  2 T. white wine vinegar and 1 T. sugar in blender, whirl until belnded
2. with blender running, slowly add 1/4 c. oil until thick and smooth
 3. stir in 1 T. chopped fresh basil or 1 t. dried basil.