2 c. sifted flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. boiling water
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. coarsely chopped dried apricots
2/3 c. sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp. melted butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2/3 c. chopped pecans

Sift flour with baking powder and salt and set aside. Mix boiling water, soda and apricots and cool to lukewarm; drain off liquid and reserve. Beat sugar, egg, butter and vanilla until well blended. Add flour mixture about 1/3 at a time, alternately with reserved apricot liquid, beginning and ending with flour; beat just until smooth. Mix in apricots and pecans.

Bake at 300 degrees in a greased 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan for 1 hour until it shrinks slightly from side of pan. Cool upright in pan on wire rack 20 minutes before turning out. Allow to "ripen" a day in an airtight wrapping.