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serves 8

Diner-Style Meat Loaf with Gravy

Truck stops and diners serve what I call “the all-American meat loaf,” with onions, green bell peppers, and whatever else the cook decides to add in. In some areas of the country, the traditional milk-soaked bread is replaced with rolled oats, while other areas use saltine or other cracker crumbs. Our nation has dined on this dish for years, usually served with a glue-like brown gravy; it was what my husband would tactfully call “warm and filling.” This meat loaf, however, is moist and tender and crowned with a beautifully rich and scrumptious onion and mushroom gravy. You will be proud to serve it to anyone, even your mother-in-law! Mashed potatoes and two vegetables on the side will give you that famous combination found in the South called “meat and three.” Leftovers make terrific sandwiches on grilled sourdough bread with a bit of your favorite cheese on top.

SAUCE

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 large onions, thinly sliced into half rounds

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups beef broth

¼ cup soy sauce

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and thyme and sauté until the onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes.

add the mushrooms and sauté until they begin to color and the liquid in the pan evaporates. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker.

whisk the flour and ¼ cup of the broth together in a large bowl. Add the remaining broth and the soy sauce to the slurry and whisk until smooth.

pour the mixture into the cooker. Cover and cook on high while you prepare the meat loaf.

MEAT LOAF

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried sage leaves, crumbled in the palm of your hand

1½ pounds 85% lean ground beef

2 tablespoons ketchup

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 cup cracker crumbs (saltines or Ritz both work well here) or 1 cup dry unflavored bread crumbs

2 large eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup beef broth

heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and sage and sauté until the vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes. Cool the mixture and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

add the remaining ingredients. With clean hands or a large wooden spoon, mix together until well combined, being careful not to compact the mixture. Pat the meat into a loaf shape 6 inches long, 3 inches wide, and 2 to 3 inches tall.

set the loaf on top of the sauce in the slow cooker and cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 4 to 6 hours, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads 165°F.

remove the loaf from the cooker using two long, wide spatulas. Cover with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.

cut the loaf into ½-inch slices with a serrated knife and serve napped with some of the sauce. Serve any remaining sauce on the side.

serves 6

Old-Fashioned Meat Loaf

As a child, the only meat loaf my mom made was a large Italian-style meatball in loaf form. I preferred the meat loaf my aunt made, which was seasoned with onion, thyme, and ketchup and then covered with bacon and baked in a barbecue sauce. I loved to eat it with lumpy mashed potatoes and green beans. I still love to eat meat loaf with mashed potatoes, but a green salad on the side is now my favorite!

MEAT LOAF

2 slices white sandwich bread, torn into pieces (use a sandwich bread with some structure like Pepperidge Farm)

¼ cup milk

1½ pounds ground 85% lean ground beef

½ cup ketchup

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

½ cup finely chopped onion

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 large egg, beaten

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

BARBECUE