Did somebody say, "Meatloaf!"?

Whipping up another hearty dinner tonight, inspired by the chilly nights we've recently had in Brooklyn! This recipe is tried and true-- and something Mummy used to feed us in high school-- so while I wouldn't exactly call it high concept, it is down right delicious. There are, like, nine people on earth who don't like meatloaf and mashed potatoes, and I'm fairly confident none of the people attending our dinner party tonight fall into that camp, so hopefully we won't have to face the temptation of leftovers tomorrow. (A meatloaf sandwich is like my kryptonite. I can blast through an astonishing amount of meatloaf sandwiches for a person my size. Be warned.)

I have a very vague recollection of blogging this recipe a while ago, but it's a goodie, so what's the harm in a refresher, right? Thanks again to the less than obvious source, fashion designer Bill Blass. Kudos sir! However, if you're in the mood for a different meatloaf recipe, the NY Times has a dozen other suggestions to experiment with...

Bill Blass's Meatloaf

ADAPTED FROM ''NEW YORK COOKBOOK''

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 pounds ground beef sirloin
• 1/2 pound ground veal
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 cups Heinz chili sauce
• 3 slices bacon

1.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan. In a heavy skillet over medium heat, saute the celery and onion in the butter until soft, about 5 minutes. Scrape into a large mixing bowl and cool.

2.

When the onions are cool enough to handle, add the meats, parsley, sour cream, bread crumbs, thyme, marjoram and salt and pepper to the skillet. Whisk the egg with the Worcestershire sauce and add to the mixture. Using a wooden spoon or your hands, combine the mixture and mold into the shape of a loaf.

3.

Place the meatloaf in the prepared pan. Top with the chili sauce and bacon slices. Bake until firm and nicely browned, about 1 hour.

It's possible that I may also experiment with another biscotti recipe for our little shin-dig tonight. So far I've made Martha Stewart's Almond Biscotti recipe twice, to rave reviews, so my confidence has been bolstered and I think I'm going to try another recipe involving hazelnuts. (I happen to have an unopened bag of hazelnuts in our pantry, so that's pretty much the extent of my inspiration.)

I'll follow up with a recipe for Hazelnut Biscotti once I've taken it for a spin.