Family Meatloaf with Gravy

This recipe freezes well...make a double batch, bake both, and freeze one with gravy!

1-1/2 pound ground Chuck
1/2 pound Bob Evans bulk Italian sausage
1/2 cup onion, finely minced
1/4 cup celery, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon finely minced garlic
3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
fresh pepper

Make breadcrumbs in food processor until finely chopped. Set aside in a large bowl. Mince onions, celery, and garlic in food processor and add to bread crumbs. Stir in the egg, milk, salt and pepper. Break up the sausage and mix well into the bread crumb mixture. Break up the beef and mix well. Shape into loaf. Bake at 350 for about 50-60 minutes. Allow to sit without slicing for at least 10-15 minutes tented with foil. Pass gravy separately. If freezing, I like to submerge the meatloaf in the gravy to help retain moisture in the meatloaf.

Gravy

2 Tablespoons flour
2 Tablespoons fat (bacon grease, lard, butter, suet, or olive oil)
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 teaspoon dried ground fennel
1/4 teaspoon (or more) fresh ground pepper
2 cups beef broth

Melt fat and stir in flour. Cook until bubbling and browning to a golden brown color. Add all spices and let cook for a minute. Whisk in the broth slowly and stir very well until free of lumps. Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. Bring to boil, stirring almost constantly, until thickened.

5-o'clock Panic Potato Soup

(See previous post on comments on the development of this recipe.)

This recipe is intended for a pressure cooker. If you do not have one, you will need to make this "4-o'clock Panic Potato Soup" and allow at least an extra 30 to 40 minutes to make the pureed portion of the soup.

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 yellow or white onion, coarsely chopped
4 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
2-3 carrots, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 russet potatoes peeled and sliced
5 russet potatoes peeled and cubed in 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes
3 cups chicken broth, divided
3 cups whole milk
1 cup low-fat sour cream or whole-milk yogurt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
Kosher salt to taste
Shredded sharp cheese of your choice for serving
crusty bread

You will need 2 pots (ideally 1 should be a pressure cooker)as you will boil the potato cubes separately in salted water. Start with water in a large pot and throw in a few large pinches of Kosher salt and bring to a boil. Add potato cubes and boil until just tender but not falling apart. Drain and set aside.

While the water is boiling for the potatoes, in your pressure cooker (or other pot), melt butter and add thyme. When sizzling and fragrant, add onion, celery, carrot, and sliced potatoes. Saute for 3 or 4 minutes to flavor the fat, making sure not to burn the onions. Add 1-1/2 cups of broth and pressure cook on high pressure for 3 or 4 minutes to make sure it is well softened. If not using a pressure cooker, cook covered until all vegetables are very soft. Puree this mixture with a stick blender, in a regular blender, or in a food processor and return to pot.

Add garlic powder and ground mustard to puree and stir well. Whisk in milk and add potatoes. If you like thick soup, add only a little chicken broth. If you like it thinner, add all the remaining (1-1/2 cups or more)chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Allow soup to simmer for at least 15 minutes and as long as an hour (cover if holding more than 15 minutes).

To serve, I ladle the bowl half full, add shredded cheddar cheese, and then cover and add some more cheese on top. I do not add cheese to the pot, as it tends to get grainy with reheating (plus, the child who will eat this soup does not like cheese).

Recipe To-Do List for the next time:
___Replace the 2nd half of broth with dark beer.
___Try grating good cheddar instead of bland pre-shredded cojack cheese.
___Try yukon gold potatoes to see if they are less textured than russet.

Enjoy!!