IKEA-inspired meatloaf with gravy

I couldn't resist saying this recipe was inspired by IKEA. Have you ever had the Swedish meatballs in the store's cafeteria? They're so tasty.

I wanted to make something similar to those, but I didn't feel like rolling the meat into so many little balls, then frying them on the stove. And although I have a great recipe for meatballs that are baked, not fried, it's not what I was in the mood for so much today.

I also wanted to incorporate my father-in-law's secret meatloaf ingredient. (See if you can guess which one that is...)

I knew the sauce served with IKEA's meatballs was going to be tricky. I wanted to combine the gravy -- a plain white gravy -- with the fruity side served with it, which I think is cranberry, into one sauce. After a little trial and error, I came up with a sour cream-strawberry-pepper sauce that I think is amazing! Try it out for yourself.

IKEA-inspired meatloaf (makes 8 servings)

1 pound lean ground beef

1 pound ground turkey

1 egg

1 egg white

1/3 cup milk

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

1-1/2 cups crushed garlic bagel chips

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon salt

a few dashes of black pepper

1.) Put crushed bagel chips in a bowl with the milk; let them soak up the liquid for a few minutes.

2.) Combine that with the rest of the ingredients, and mix well by hand.

3.) Put in a loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.

4.) Serve with sweet sour cream-pepper gravy on the side (below).

Sweet sour cream & black pepper gravy (makes 1-1/2 cups)

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup chicken broth

1-1/2 tablespoons flour

3 tablespoons strawberry fruit spread (try to find the no-sugar-added kind)

1/2 cup sour cream

salt to taste

lots of freshly ground black pepper (don't be shy here)

1.) Heat butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and chicken broth, and simmer, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Use a whisk to make sure lumps are removed.

2.) Reduce heat to low, and stir in the jelly and sour cream. Add salt and pepper. Serve this -- on the side -- with meatloaf. Some people don't like sweet food as much as I do!

Possible sides:
butternut squash-potato puree
Mom's tortellini salad
stuffed garlic mushrooms
Hugh's scalloped potatoes
zucchini slaw
tomato-basil salad