Kielbasaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

It's been an interesting Winter here is the Pacific Northwest, a couple of days of snow and windy nights, but nothing too spectacular. We had a few days of really sunny weather and I was yearning for Spring and Summer to come. I enjoy grilling everything that I can get away with. But I'll have to make do with the stove and oven for a few more weeks. I had a craving for something succulent and savory and as I browsed the store aisle I noticed Kielbasa on sale. I snagged a few Pork/Beef/Chicken Hillshire Farms packages of smoked sausage and continued onto the next aisle. I wasn't sure what I would do with them until I spotted the Apricot Jelly. . .ah ha! I remembered an episode of Rachel Zoe's reality show where she did something with Salami and Jelly which I found interesting. Kielbasa ain't salami but good enough and this recipe is easy,  and we (the family) loved it. I'm calling it Apricot BBQ Kielbasa and I can't wait to grill these up soon.

Ingredients:

2 Smoked Kielbasa packages or 3 pounds of smoked sausage

1/2 cup Apricot Jelly (I bet Cherry, Peach or Raspberry would be awesome too)

1 medium yellow onion

1 cup bbq sauce (I used a honey smoked one)

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, cracked

1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut diagonal slashes along each sausage link, about 1/2 inch apart and 2/3 of the way deep. Place on oven safe pan. Slather  the apricot jelly onto and in between each cut.  Cut onion into slices and sprinkle onto sausages. See figure 1.

Cover pan with tin foil. Bake in oven for 20 minutes. Take out of oven, remove tin foil and slather on the bbq sauce and sprinkle on the black and red chili peppers. Place back into oven at 400 degrees for another 20 minutes. Serve with your favorite sides and rolls or french bread.