Simple Meatloaf with Cheddar and Monterey Jack Gravy

Meatloaf and gravy, can't get more American than that!

Inspired by the Food Network show Diners Drive-ins and Dives, seeing all the great American dishes being made and improvised, my inner comfort food craves just got higher and higher. Of course my version won't be as delicious as the good old recipe that grandma used to make, but hey! At least it ain't bad for an Asian girl's second attempt??

Ingredients?

Meatloaf:

1 lb of ground beef
1 lb of ground veal
1 lb of ground pork
1/2 caramelized onion
1/2 cup of bread crumbs
1 small bundle/18 grams of chives (chopped)
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning
1 egg

Cheese gravy:

6 tablespoons of unsalted butter
5 tablespoons of all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup of milk
1 to 1 1/2 cup of sharp cheddar and monterey jack cheese blend
Small pinch of white pepper
Some sea salt

How?

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mix all the ingredients for the meatloaf -

For caramelized onion, I simply drizzle some olive oil in the pan, toss in chopped onion and some salt and pepper. Cook with medium high heat till the onion turned semi-brown color.

Line the baking sheet with foil,
Pour in the meatloaf mix and form a rectangle log -

Into the oven for about 40 to 50 minutes,
Once done, take out the meatloaf and cover with foil,
Let it rest for 10 minutes so all the meaty juice can get locked inside the loaf.

Take a sauce pan and turn to medium heat,
Toss in butter and wait till it melts, then we add in the flour,
Keep mixing to prevent doughy lumps, about 2 minutes,
Gradually pour in the milk and the cheese mix and keep stirring till fully combined,
Season with some white pepper and salt to taste.

The gravy is ready when you do the wooden spoon test,
Just use your finger and draw a line on the spoon that was dipped in the gravy,
If the gravy won't drip all over the line, it's ready.

Drizzle some gravy over the meatloaf slices and garnish with some chopped chives,
What makes it even better?
A few dashes of Tabasco sauce!

Cindy's Rating: 6 (still room for improvement!)