December Recipe

Dear Readers,
It's December. It's time for a new recipe.

It's also holiday time. There are many different traditions, including ones of baking cookies and other holiday goodies. I know I had a shout-out in a previous post requesting a recipe for cookies. I do acknowledge this shout-out, but I've decided to post something different.

This recipe is baked in the oven, but not what you normally would think of when you are thinking of baking. However, this recipe will satisfy every taste-bud and it's a sure winner.

Here is the recipe from my hero Rachael Ray.

Sticky Spiced-Apricot Meatloaf
2 slices sandwich bread, chopped
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons apricot jam
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
7 dried apricots, chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder
Salt
Chopped parsley, for sprinkling

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, soak the bread in the milk. In another small bowl, whisk together the apricot jam and Worcestershire sauce.

2. In a large bowl, add the meat, almonds, apricots, and curry powder. Add the bread-milk mixture, season with salt and mix together with your hands. Transfer to a loaf pan and brush with the jam mixture. Bake for 1 hour. Pour off the fat and let cool for 15 minutes before removing from the pan. Sprinkle the parsley on top.

Variations:
- use ground turkey instead of ground beef meat
- use another dried fruit and another jam
- use allspice instead of curry powder

This recipe comes out very moist, flavorful, and just down-right delicious!