VAL'S SPICY HOLIDAY MEAT LOAF w-FANCY GRAVY Recipe; Coalinga-CA

Val's Spicy Holiday Meat Loaf; with gravy & Baked Potato.

I woke up this morning wanting meatloaf and a baked potato for Supper … so, that's what we had 👨‍🍳😁

And while gathering the ingredients together - I thought of the bag of cranberries in the fridge; and added some of those, too, in keeping with the holiday vibe 😉

We liked this recipe: and I think you will, too 👍

Val's Spicy Holiday Meal Loaf ~ 8 servings

1/2 Yellow Onion * 1 Carrot, small * 1 Green Anaheim Pepper * 2 Garlic cloves * 1/2 c. Cranberries, whole * 2 Tablespoons unsalted Butter * 2 tsp. Bacon fat, rendered * 1 tsp. Celery Salt * 1/8 tsp. Cayenne pepper * 1/2 tsp. ground Black Pepper * 1/4 tsp. ground White Pepper * 1/4 tsp. ground Cumin * 1/4  tsp. ground Nutmeg * 1/4 c. Half-n-half * 1 lb. lean Ground Beef * 1 Eggs * 3/8 c. dry Bread Crumbs (I used cornbread stuffing cubes) * 1 Baker Potato for each person being served * 1 Med. Mixing Bowl * 1 qt.-size Ziplock baggie * Rolling Pin * 1 9-inch Baking Tin, round * Measuring Cup (include a Pyrex liquid measuring cup) & Measuring Spoons * Dinner Plates & Silverware

Val's Fancy Gravy (recipe follows meat loaf recipe) = 1 pkt. Lowry Dry Brown Gravy Mix * 1 Shallot, peeled & minced * 1 pinch dried Thyme * 1 very small Bay Leaf * 1 pinch ground Black Pepper * 3/4 c. Water * 1/4 c Cooking Sherry * Butter flavored Cooking Spray * 1 Sm. Saucepan * 1 Whisk

1) Preheat over to 350-degrees.

Prepare veggies:

Onion & cranberries; add garlic, carrot & green pepper.

Mince fine & set aside.

2) With a qt.-size ziplock baggie & rolling pin, mash the bread crumbs to a fine crumble:

Breadcrumbs - ready to be pulverized with rolling pin.

3) Blend spices & add to bread crumbs.

Spices added to fine breadcrumbs; stir to blend.

4) In a medium mixing bowl, combine ground beef, egg, crumb-spice blend, vegetable medley; & half-n-half: mix thoroughly with your hands - and then place mixture into the baking tin, forming into a nice round loaf:

Ground Beef, egg, butter & bacon fat.

Add veggies & breadcrumb-spice blend; mix thoroughly.

5) Bake meat loaf & baker potatoes in the oven for 1 hour … or until no longer pink in center & potatoes are soft when lightly pressed.

Meat loaf ready for oven.

About 45 minutes into the meat loaf & potatoes baking time, prepare gravy as follows:

Val's Fancy Gravy ~ Makes 1-½ cups

Coat inside bottom of saucepan with cooking spray & sauté shallot until softened. Blend water and cooking sherry; combine dry gravy mix with spices … and to liquids & pour into saucepan with shallots.

Cook as directed on the gravy packet.

Serve over meatloaf; and potatoes, if desired.