This week Dave was feeling a little under the weather which may be explained by the cold weather! So, I did what all good wives do and cooked him a lovely, hearty meal. Step forward my apricot beef casserole. Although he wasn’t 100%, it’s fair to say that Dave loved it and it cheered him up massively. Who said that good food can’t fix your health?

For this meal I used a variety of locally sourced ingredients from the PDX area – including lovely beef cuts from our local market. As ever with a good casserole, I also included plenty of gravy, greens and carrots. As well as the key ingredient for this one – apricot!

Whilst not everyone likes apricots in their casseroles, me and Dave love it. I think that it blends a nice sweetness into an otherwise savory meal and the result is delicious…even if I say so myself! The proof can be seen below.

Perhaps the pictures don’t quite do this justice, but the beef literally fell apart in my mouth due to its lovely, tender nature. Combined with the apricot that leaked into the sauce, it made for a splendid meal. There’s just something so enjoyable about cooking and eating such homely food during the darker days of the year – and this is why casserole is such an awesome dish.

Just look at that!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1/2 cup apricot preserves
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat until fully cooked.
3. Add the onion and garlic to the skillet and cook until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
4. Sprinkle the flour over the beef mixture and stir to combine.
5. Gradually add the beef broth, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
6. Stir in the apricot preserves, soy sauce, thyme, salt, and pepper.
7. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 5 minutes.
8. Stir in the cooked rice.
9. Transfer the mixture to a casserole dish.
10. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top of the casserole.
11. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the casserole is hot and the breadcrumbs are golden brown.
12. Serve hot. Enjoy!