Meat Roll With Potatoes and Mushroom Gravy

Place Panko bread crumbs, grated parmesan, minced garlic, eggs, country sausage, and ground chicken or turkey. Mix au jus mix into milk and then add to the rest of the ingredients. Combine until well mixed together. Set aside.

On a half-sheet baking pan covered with a layer of foil (for easy clean up), stretch bacon across the pan – layering each piece a little bit over the last.

Place half of the ground meat mixture down the center of the bacon and place the sausage on top of the ground meat.

Pack the other half of the ground meat mixture over the sausage to create a circle of meat around the sausage. Lift the bacon slices over the top of the meat roll on one side, and then the other.

Use toothpicks or wooden sticks to help hold the bacon in place so it doesn’t fall during cooking time. Bake for about an hour or until the ground meat mixture is 165°F when measured with a meat thermometer. The most important thing to know when cooking meat is the minimum temp that it should be when done. This will ensure food safety. The second most important thing to know is to make sure the temp doesn’t go much higher than the safe temp. This ensures that the meat will not become dry and flavorless.

• About 4 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
• 2 pounds baby potatoes (smallest you can find)
• 1-2 tablespoons turmeric
• 1-2 tablespoons curry
• Salt & pepper
• 1/2 diced yellow onion (optional)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (optional)
• Freshly chopped oregano, basil, rosemary & thyme (optional)

Using a peeler, peel potatoes however you like. For a rustic look, I peeled the potatoes just around the middle this time. If using larger potatoes, simply cut them into smaller, similar-sized pieces. Pour oil into frying pan and heat to medium-high.

While waiting for the oil to heat, coat potatoes in turmeric & curry powders.

After the oil is preheated, add potatoes to the pan. Toss occasionally during cooking and add salt & pepper. If desired, you can add diced yellow onions to the potatoes for the last 4-5 minutes of cooking time. Don’t add them too soon as they will burn because they cook much quicker than potatoes do.

You can also add minced garlic and freshly chopped oregano, basil, rosemary & thyme during the last minute of cooking time if you like. Potatoes are done when a fork poked into them slides out easily.

Mushroom Gravy

• 3 tablespoons olive oil (or bacon grease)
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1 1/2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced or chopped
• 3 tablespoons flour
• About 3 cups of chicken broth (or water)
• Beef Better than Bouillon
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Salt & pepper to taste

Heat diced onions over medium heat in oil until somewhat translucent.

Add mushrooms and cook until browned.

Sprinkle flour over mushroom and onions. Stir and allow the flour to cook for at least a couple of minutes.

Stir in chicken broth and then about 2 tablespoons of beef Better than Bouillon. Heat until Better than Bouillon has melted into the gravy.

Stir in heavy whipping cream and butter.

If you’re feeling a little wild & crazy, you can add a little dry red or white wine. to the mix. What could be better? I mean really.

Oh, yes, perhaps this? When the meat roll is finished cooking, allow it to rest for about 15 minutes then remove toothpicks and slice into 1-2 inch slices, depending on how big of eaters you are entertaining.

To serve, place potatoes on a plate in a little circle and cover with mushroom gravy. Adorn with a gorgeous slice of meat roll to show off its beauty.

And every vegetarian and vegan said, “Potatoes only, please.”And every man said, “Pass the fork.”