Friday's Feast: Apricot Bread

So, I have had this bag of cranberries in my fridge for a month that I cannot, for some reason, bring myself into turning into Cranberry Bread. The berries are starting to wrinkle up and get mushy, but I still refuse to make the bread. Not sure what my mental hold-up is, but I am tossing them in the freezer to deal with later. The recipe I am sharing today is for something a little different. I've never seen a recipe like this one (maybe it is from the '50s?), but it is delicious and the main ingredient is dried apricots, which are easy to keep on hand without worrying about spoilage. (Did I really just say "spoilage?" He-llo, Martha!!)

Apricot Bread
12 oz. (appx. 2 1/3 cups) dried apricots, quartered
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup shortening
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
Combine all above ingredients in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Pour into a large mixing bowl and allow to cool for about three hours.
2 eggs
2 tsp. soda
4 cups flour
Mix the eggs and soda into the apricot mixture, then stir in the flour. Dough will be clingy.
Grease two 9x4" loaf pans and divide the dough between them. Bake at 350˙ for about an hour. A toothpick should come out clean.

I'll update with photos after I pull out of my migraine-induced tailspin....