Recipe Station

We hope you're ready to knock your family's socks off with this time-tested dish. Here's everything you'll need to have your guests raving for days.

Ingredients to Gather

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 cup of finely chopped onion
• 1 celery rib, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup of finely chopped green onion, including the green onion greens
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 Tbsp)
• 2 teaspoon salt (use 1 1/2 teaspoons if using Italian sausage)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2/3 cup ketchup, divided 1/3 and 1/3
• 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef (chuck)
• 3/4 pound of spicy ground pork sausage or Italian sausage (a mix of sweet and hot if you are using links)
• 1 cup fresh bread crumbs (take a couple slices of fresh bread and pulse in a blender until you have crumbs)
• 2 large eggs, beaten slightly
• 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

Cooking Directions

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F, and then melt the butter in a skillet and add the vegetables. Then you're ready for the bulk of the cooking process:

1. Cover the pan and cook for another 5 minutes, until the carrots are tender, stirring every so often.
2. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the Worcestershire sauce and one-third cup of the ketchup. Cook for another minute and remove from heat to cool.
3. Once the vegetables have cooled to the touch, place them in a large bowl with the ground beef, Italian sausage, eggs, breadcrumbs and parsley. Use your (very clean) hands to mix them together until everything is evenly distributed.
4. Place the meatloaf mixture into a loaf pan (either 4×8 or 5×9) and press to make compact in the pan. Or you can form a free-standing loaf onto a rimmed baking pan. Cover the meatloaf mixture with the rest of the ketchup.
5. Bake for 1 hour at 350°F, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the meatloaf reads 155°F.

One important tip: After you take the meat loaf out of the oven, let it cool for 10 minutes before taking it out of the pan.

What we like about this recipe is its versatility. Not only does it make an enticing main course, it's also ideal for sandwiches. So in addition to serving it at dinner, you can make a hearty, filling sandwich that will make a satisfying lunch for the next day.

Article Source: Simply Recipes