MEAN CHEF'S MEATLOAF WITH MUSHROOM GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Pour the oil into a sauté pan and set over medium-high heat.
• Add the onion and garlic and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• In a mixing bowl, stir together the eggs, thyme, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, and milk.
• Place the ground meat into another bowl and pour the egg mixture over the meat.
• Add the saltines, parsley, onion, and garlic to the bowl.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Roll up your sleeves, and knead the meat together with the other ingredients until well blended (if you like, cook a small portion of the mixture in a pan, taste, and adjust seasoning).
• Transfer to a cookie sheet and form into a loaf.
• If using the bacon, wrap the slices lengthwise over the top and tuck them under the loaf, to completely cover the meat.
• Bake for 1 hour or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf reads 160 degrees.
• If the bacon on the top is not as crisp as you would like, put the meatloaf under the broiler for a few minutes.
• Remove from the oven and set aside to rest for 5 minutes.
• Slice and serve with mushroom gravy (recipe#66984) and mashed potatoes recipe#104098.
• Mushroom Gravy (recipe#66984): Melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat.
• Add the mushrooms and sauté until brown, about 7 minutes.
• Stir in the flour; it will become very pasty.
• Cook this roux for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• It will stick to the bottom of the pan a little bit; that's okay.
• Stir in the stock, wine, soy sauce, and pepper, and bring to a boil.
• Cook the sauce at a lively simmer for 5 minutes, stirring almost constantly and scraping any crusty bits that adhere to the bottom of the pan.
• Serve in a sauceboat.