This recipe is from a past issue of Victoria magazine. It has become one of my favorites. While not particularly attractive looking, I especially like it cold from the refrigerator with a hot cup of tea.

Harvest Oatmeal Tea Bread

3/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups boiling water
1 cup old fashioned oatmeal, uncooked
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dried apricots, cut up
1/2 cup raisins, golden or dark
4 tablespoons cognac

Preheat oven to 350. In medium bowl, cream butter and sugar till fluffy; add eggs one at a time. Place boiling water in a bowl, add oatmeal and stir--set aside. In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Add and toss the dried fruit to the flour mixture. Add the cognac and the creamed butter mixture to the dry ingredients. Fold the softened oatmeal into the mixture. Transfer to a buttered and floured 5 x 9 loaf pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 and bake for 45 minutes more or till tests done.

May use any combination of dried fruit to equal 1 cup. Soften the fruits by soaking them in hot water (I do this in the microwave--fruits plus about 1/4 cup liquid (water or even cognac!) covered with plastic wrap. Cook on high 3 minutes, let set, drain and use softened fruit.