Ham Loaf

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to L. Hadley in Florida for this one:

The Top Signs You're Being Stalked by a Baker

9. He keeps leaving flours in your mailbox.

8. That suspicious burning bag on your front porch? Chocolate chip
cookie dough.

7. You keep getting anonymous phone calls of heavy breathing
interrupted by, "Hold on, I have to go check the oven!"

6. Bundt cakes. Everywhere you turn, it's another #&*#$! Bundt cake.

5. You're receiving love letters that look suspiciously like cut-outs
from recipes in Good Housekeeping.

4. After your hot date, you come home to find a dismembered
gingerbread man in a puddle of raspberry coulis.

3. You get late-night phone calls with nothing but the sound of a
heavy-duty mixer.

2. There's a Krispy Kreme truck parked across the street, and you
don't work in a police station.

And the #1 Sign You're Being Stalked by a Baker:

1. Neither the butcher nor the candlestick maker will look you
straight in the eye.

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            TODAY'S RECIPE
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This dish is only as good as the ham you use. If you steer clear of
watery canned ham you'll be rewarded with a solid, firm loaf that will
slice nicely.

Ham Loaf

3 cups (750 ml) ground ham
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 lbs (675 g) ground pork
1 cup (250 ml) bread crumbs (preferably fresh)
1/2 cup (125 ml) milk
2 tsp (10 ml) chopped fresh or 1 tsp (5 ml) dried thyme
A grating of fresh nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste (optional)

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Pack gently into a loaf pan and
bake in a preheated 350F (180C) oven until cooked through and the fat
around the edge of the pan is bubbling, 40 to 50 minutes. Pour off
excess fat and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature. Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Thu Mar 17 06:56:30 2005