Italian Sausage Metloaf with Potato Gravy, originally uploaded by balyho0o.

So I was totally craving something  hearty like meatloaf and mashed potatoes so I surfed around the web and took my inspiration from a couple of different recipes which use Italian Sausage to help bring things to life. This one from allrecipes.com had some good ratings and some helpful comments and this one was the catalyst for the blue cheese, which was fantastic.

Sadly the potatoes were meant to be something like this but because I used baby reds, which don’t quite stand up the way a Russet or Gold might, what I ended up with was more of a potato gravy. ..and it was so damn good! I just love it when accidents turn in to amazing discoveries. It was a bit “gluey” but was oh so rich and yummy. Really hit the spot.

Meatloaf Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 pounds ground beef
• 4 (4 ounce) links Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 a red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 4 oz blue cheese crumbles
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
• 1 tbs fresh chopped basil
• 1 tbs fresh chopped oregano
• 2 tbs tomato paste
• salt and pepper to taste

“Gravy” Ingredients:

• 2 lbs of baby red potatoes (Don’t you dare peel these!)
• 1 tbs fresh rosemary
• 1 1/2 tbs Kosher salt
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 tbs fresh ground pepper

Meatloaf Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. In a large bowl combine beef, decaseified sausage, egg , bell pepper, onion, oats, milk, blue cheese, Worcestershire sauce, herbs,  salt and pepper. Mix together, preferably with your hands (feel that squishy goodness!), and press into a loaf pan line with aluminum foil.
3. Add a nice thick layer of tomato paste to the top as if you were frosting a cake.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour, or until center temp reads about 145° (should continue to rise to about 155° while resting). Let stand about 10 minutes and use the foil to lift out and drain grease.

“Gravy” Directions:

1. Buy the wrong type of potatoes for the “Mashed” varietal. In this case baby reds
2. Cut larger taters in half, and add them, 1tbs salt, garlic and rosemary to boiling water and boil until soft
3. Drain and drop contents into a food processor making sure to get the garlic and rosemary bits. Add butter, pepper and remaining salt and puree the crap out of it. Add a little milk if it isn’t “gravy like” enough for you.

Provide a nice “base” of gravy, add a slab or two of the meatloaf and drizzle with more gravy goodness. I DARE you not to go back for seconds!

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds of flank steak (I have substituted London broil which also works well)
• Taqueria Marinade
• Lime Onion Relish
• Roasted Tomato Chipotle Puree
• 24 pack of corn tortillas
• Olive oil
• 1 cup shredded cheese (jack or cheddar) (*optional)
• 2 limes, wedged

Directions:

1. Marinate beef in a large freezer bag with Taqueria marinade for 1-2 hours.
2. Preheat grill on high and reduce to med high
3. Using a skillet and just enough olive oil to keep them from sticking, crisp your tortillas on each side (About 1 min. each side once oil is hot).
4. Cover tortillas with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
5. Grill steak on each side for 4-5 minutes or until about medium rare (nice and pink through out but not red)
6. Once grilling is complete, allow the meat to rest 5 minutes.
7. In a food processor, using the slicing blade, shred the beef.
8. Load up 2-3 tortillas with beef, cheese, salsa and relish and enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs. flank steak
• 2 bell peppers cut into strips
• 1 red onion cut into strips
• 1 package of large flour tortillas

Marinade

• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 tbs. olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp liquid smoke
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Optional

• fresh salsa
• guacamole
• sour cream
• shredded cheese
• black beans (canned or fresh)
• green onion for garnish

Directions

1. Use two forks and stab the flank steak thoroughly on both sides to tenderize and allow the marinade to penetrate.
2. Blend together marinade ingredients with a whisk in a medium mixing bowl
3. Put steak, veggies and marinade ingredients into a large freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible from the bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Do not marinate the meat for more that 2 hours or your meat may become over seasoned and soggy.
4. Grill meat on high for about 4-5 minutes on each side depending on thickness or until meat is still pink all the way through but not bloody. Allow meat to rest 5 minutes before slicing.
5. Saute veggies in remaining marinate over medium-high heat until tender but not limp.
6. Cut meat into 1/2 inch strips against the grain
7. Fold meat, cheese, beans and veggies into a flour tortilla and grill in a skillet or frying pan in a small amount of olive oil on both sides to seal the deal
8. Serve with guac, salsa or sour creme and enjoy!

The sauce would probably work well with just about any barbecue. Ribs are especially good with this sauce.

We served this with some rosemary potatoes and a simple garden salad. Mmmmm good!

Ingredients

• 2 (28 oz.) bone-in porterhouse steaks, about 1 1/2″ thick
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. hot red pepper flakes
• 3 c. canned plum tomatoes, pureed
• 1 c. dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano leaves
• Salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Sauce:

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, add the onion, and cook, stirring until soft, about 5 minutes; do not brown.
2. Add the garlic and pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the remaining ingredients (except steak), season to taste with salt and pepper, and simmer until thickened, 35-40 minutes.

Note: The sauce can be made 2 days in advance, cooled, covered, and kept refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Steaks:

1. Heat your grill to high.
2. Season the steaks with plenty of salt and pepper. Set aside a few tablespoons of sauce for brushing on the cooked steaks and set aside about 1/2 c. of sauce to pass at the table.
3. Grill the steaks until lightly charred and crusty, 4-5 minutes.
4. Turn the steaks over, reduce heat to medium or move to a cooler part of the grill, and brush the tops of the steaks with sauce. Close the grill hood and grill for 5 minutes.
5. Open the grill hood and continue grilling, brushing often with the sauce, until medium-rare, about 5 minutes more.
6. Remove the meat from the grill and brush with the sauce. Let rest for 5 more minutes, then cut away from the bone and then cut meat into 1″ thick slices.

This dish is great served over a bed of your favorite pasta or alone with a great salad and mashed potatoes!

Ingredients

• 5 skinless, boneless chicken breast
• 5 slices of swiss cheese
• 5-10 slices of ham
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp paprika
• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup white wine
• 3 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 c. heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 c. fresh chopped Oregano
• 1 tsp. fresh ground pepper

Directions

1. Pound chicken breasts so they are approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
2. Cut each slice of swiss in half. Now wrap/roll the swiss in the ham like a burrito and place in the center of the chicken breast and roll up. Secure with 3-4 toothpicks.
3. In a small bowl, mix the flour and paprika.
4. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and sprinkle with the flour/paprika mixture. Cook until golden brown on all sides.
5. Add the wine and bouillon. Reduce heat to med. low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, turning every 8-10 minutes until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
6. Remove chicken from pan and remove toothpicks (keep on a warm platter).
7. Blend the cornstarch with the cream and garlic powder in a small bowl. Add 1/4 cup of fresh chopped Oregano and whisk slowly into the skillet (keeping the leftover juices from the chicken/wine mixture). Stir until thickened and pour over chicken. Serve warm.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 3/4 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 3 teaspoons brown sugar
• ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a medium skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, onion, and green pepper; drain off liquids.
2. Stir in the garlic powder, mustard, ketchup, liquid smoke and brown sugar; mix thoroughly.
3. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with pepper to taste.