Three-Mushroom Meatloaf

__NOTOC__
== Description ==
Fruit & Vegetable Recipes I by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture, public domain government resource—original source of recipe
* Serves: 6
== Ingredients ==
* 1½ pounds ground beef
* 2 teaspoons butter
* ½ cup finely chopped onion
* 8 ounces assorted wild or button mushrooms, sliced
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* ¾ cup soft breadcrumbs
* 1 egg
* 1 teaspoon salt
* ¾ teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
* ¼ teaspoon pepper
=== Pepper Gravy ===
* 1 teaspoon butter
* ½ cup diced, red, yellow or green bell pepper
* 1 jar (12 ounces) beef gravy
* ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
== Directions ==
# Heat oven to 350 °F.
# Heat 2 teaspoons butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add onion, cook and stir 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic; cook 6 to 8 minutes or until mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cool 5 minutes.
# Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, salt, ¾ teaspoon thyme, pepper and mushroom mixture in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly.
# Shape beef mixture into 8 x 4-inch loaf on rack in broiler pan.
# Bake in 350 °F oven 1¼ hours to medium (160 °F) doneness, until not pink in center and juices show no pink color. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.
# Meanwhile heat 1 teaspoon butter in medium saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add bell pepper; cook and stir 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Stir in gravy and ½ teaspoon thyme; heat through. Cut meatloaf into 1-inch thick slices; serve with gravy.
== Notes ==
* Due to the natural nitrate content of certain ingredients often used in meatloaf, such as onions, celery and bell peppers, meatloaf may remain pink even when a 160 °F internal temperature has been reached. Always check the internal temperature using a meat thermometer or instant-read thermometer to be certain it reaches 160 °F.
== Tips ==
* A combination of mushrooms such as shiitake, cremini (brown) and button may be used.
* To make soft bread crumbs, place torn bread in food processor or blender container. Cover; process, pulsing on and off, to form fine crumbs. One and one-half slices make about 1 cup crumbs
__NOEDITSECTION__
Category:Bell pepper Recipes
Category:Ground beef Recipes
Category:Main Dish Meat Recipes
Category:Mushroom Recipes