1 lb Prunes; pitted 8 oz Dried apricots 8 oz Dried pears 3 c ;Water 1/2 c Sugar 1/2 Vanilla bean 2 Lemon zest strips, 2" each 2 tb Freshly squeezed lemon juice Stir all ingredients together in a large heavy saucepan. Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to as low as possible and cook, covered, until the fruit is softened and tender, 2 hours. Stir the fruits occasionally while they cook. If you have a crockpot, stir all the ingredients together in it and cook until the fruit is tender, 6 to 8 hours. Serve the fruit warm or at room temperature. Yield: 6 to 8 servings. Loomis says that the crockpot method is preferable, for depth of flavor. She suggests serving this as brunch by itself, over waffles or pancakes, or for dessert over vanilla or cinnamon ice cream. Or, eat this on its own for a sweet snack. From _Farm House Cookbook_ by Susan Hermann Loomis. New York: Workman Publishing Company, Inc., 1991. Pg. 494. ISBN 0-89480-772-2.