Meatloaf with “Cat in Heat” Glaze

Instructions

• Set oven to 400F.
• Reconstitute the dried mushrooms in 1 cup of boiling water until soft, about 20 minutes.
• While the mushrooms plump, chop the onion, celery, garlic and carrots finely. Use a food processor if possible — you want the vegetables as fine as possible, but a few steps removed from being a puree.
• Once the mushrooms have reconstituted, take them out of the water (reserve the liquid) and chop them finely as well.
• Place the chopped veggies in a saute pan over medium-high heat, add the reserved mushroom liquid, salt and pepper and cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid has evaporated and the veggies are soft, about 10 minutes.
• Let the veggies cool, then add them to a large mixing bowl, along with the ground meat, egg and breadcrumbs. Season liberally with salt and pepper and blend everything until mixed well and evenly.
• Line a baking sheet with foil and place the meat mixture on the sheet. Form it into a loaf that has even thickness throughout.
• Bake the loaf for 45 minutes or until juices from the loaf run clearly when pierced.
• While the loaf cooks, mix together the ketchup, Fat Cat "Cat in Heat" Chipotle-Ghost Pepper Blend and honey and taste for spiciness. (For a spicier glaze, add more Fat Cat "Cat in Heat" Chipotle-Ghost Pepper Blend.)
• After 45 minutes, remove the loaf from the oven and spread the glaze evenly over the exterior. Return loaf to the oven for another 10 minutes, to set the glaze, then take it out again and let it rest for 10 more minutes.
• Slice the loaf into 1/2-inch thick slices and serve alongside mashed potatoes or your side dish of choice. Loaf should produce about 12-14 slices.