Three-Mushroom Meatloaf

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 bread crumbs
 * 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

 * 1) Heat oven to 350 °F.
 * 2) 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.
 * 3) Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, salt, ¾ teaspoon thyme, pepper and mushroom mixture in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly.
 * 4) Shape beef mixture into 8 x 4-inch loaf on rack in broiler pan.
 * 5) 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.
 * 6) 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.

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