Our Favorite Classic Meatloaf Recipe [+Video]

A good classic meatloaf recipe should never be over-mixed, should always include a glaze, and the secret? Well, that’s in a combination of ground meat you don’t want to miss!

It seems like meatloaf is a divisive dish. You either love it or you hate it. I think it all depends on if you’ve had an amazingly awesome meatloaf like this one, or if you’ve only had mediocre meatloaf. We are making everyone into meatloaf lovers with this recipe!

Does it even matter who is coming to dinner if Mom’s meatloaf is on the menu? The flavor reminds me of home and it tastes just like mom made it! This is our favorite homemade meatloaf recipe plus every frequently asked question to help it turn out perfect every single time!

What Ingredients Do You Need for Classic Meatloaf?

Let’s start by talking about the ingredients you will need. I mentioned the combination of meat that makes the most outrageously delicious meatloaf, so here it is:

• Meat combination:
  • Beef Chuck (ground)
  • Pork (ground)
  • Veal (ground)

It is seriously the best! But if you want to keep it simple, you can use all lean ground beef chuck and it will be still be delicious.

These are the other ingredients you will need:

• Vegetable Oil
• Onion
• Garlic
• Carrot
• Thyme
• Eggs
• Sea Salt
• Black Pepper
• Dijon Mustard
• Ketchup
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Milk
• Ritz Crackers (or breadcrumbs)
• Fresh Parsley

Then we absolutely cannot forget about the glaze! It is my favorite part!! It is the perfect way to top this meatloaf:

• Ketchup
• Chili Sauce
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Brown Sugar
• Garlic
• Salt

The measurements for all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

How to Make the Best Meatloaf:

Now that we know all the ingredients, let’s walk through each step of how to make this traditional meatloaf recipe. We are going to include a photo of each step as well. Here we go!

1. Prep: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Place a skillet on your stove top and heat the oil over medium high heat.
2. Sauté: Add the onion, carrots, and garlic to the skillet and cook until it soft. It should take about 5 minutes then set them aside to cool.
3. Glaze: While the veggies are cooking, I like to whisk together all the ingredients for the glaze so that it’s ready when I need it.
4. Whisk: Add the eggs, thyme, salt, pepper, and milk to a small bowl and whisk to combine.
5. Add: Then add in the mustard, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce and whisk everything together.

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How to Make Turkey Gravy Ahead of Time [+Video]

Learn how to make the perfect turkey gravy for the holiday season with this step by step guide! Impress your guests with this delicious and easy recipe.

It has been over 10 years that I’ve sat down with the intent of posting about how to make turkey gravy. But then I get busy with Thanksgiving and the next thing you know, we are moving on to Christmas and I didn’t even notice that I failed once again. And so this year it’s March, and I’m tackling Thanksgiving. You’re welcome. 

Turkey gravy is something I’m a little picky about. I don’t want it clumpy, lumpy, salty or herby. I want it perfectly flavored and perfectly smooth. The richness comes from cooking down the neck, giblets or leg meat and the best part is…

YOU CAN MAKE IT AHEAD!

AND FREEZE IT!

So let’s jump in!

How to Make Turkey Gravy Ahead of Time

Ingredients for Homemade Turkey Gravy

We are going to start this recipe by making our own turkey stock which we will then use to make the gravy. Here is what you will need for each step:

For the Homemade Turkey Stock

• Turkey Neck, Giblets, Legs, Wings, etc: We will roast and simmer these to infuse maximum turkey flavor. You can even add a ham hock if you have one for deeper flavor.
• Olive Oil
• Seasonings and Herbs: Salt, Fresh Parsley, Black Pepper, Bay Leaves, Fresh Thyme
• Vegetables: Celery, Carrots, Onion, Baby Bella Mushrooms, Garlic
• Chicken Broth
• Turkey Trimmings
• White Cooking Wine

For the Gravy

• Unsalted Butter
• All-Purpose Flour
• Turkey Drippings
• Homemade Turkey Stock

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card down below. Keep scrolling for all the details.

Turkey Gravy Recipe: Step by Step Guide

This is a make-ahead recipe, so it should be started a few days, to even a few weeks before Thanksgiving. If you don’t have time, store-bought will work but will not be as flavorful. You’ll also be surprised about how easy it is to make your own. Here are the basic steps:

1: Roast the Turkey Pieces

• Place the turkey neck, giblets, legs, wings, etc on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive

World’s Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Who needs buns of steel when you could have buns of cinnamon? These are the World’s Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls and once you try them you’ll never go back.

This post is going to be full of pictures, and not much else because who needs stories about Mom bribing us with cinnamon rolls to get us to eat the potato soup which later turned into a tradition? No one, because everyone really just wants the recipe so let’s get on with the world’s best cinnamon rolls. Boom!

Ingredients for Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

This ingredients list might look long at first glance, but several of the items overlap between the three different components and most of the items will be things you already have at home. Here is what you will need:

For the Dough

• Warm Water: helps activate the yeast, should be between 105° and 115°F
• Heavy Cream: adds to the squishiness of the rolls, whole can be substituted
• Instant Yeast: I prefer instant yeast over active dry yeast and would recommend not substituting it.
• Sugar: feeds the yeast to active it
• Buttermilk: adds to the fluffiness of the rolls
• Sea Salt: enhances all the flavors in the cinnamon rolls
• Eggs: provides structure to the rolls and helps binds all the ingredients
• Canola Oil: adds a little more fat while helping the cinnamon rolls stay tender
• Butter: adds richness to the dough
• All Purpose Flour: provides the structure for rolls
• Soy Lecithin: and emulsifying agent that helps fat and water stay together that helps create the most perfect rolls, can be omitted if needed but it really makes a difference!

For the Filling

• Unsalted Butter: don’t melt it, leave it at room temperature
• Brown Sugar: adds richness and pairs well with cinnamon
• White Sugar: adds additional sweetness
• Cinnamon: adds that signature warm flavor to cinnamon rolls
• Cornstarch: helps keep the filling thick and extra gooey

For the Frosting

• Cream Cheese: adds a delicious tang to the frosting
• Unsalted Butter: adds richness to the cream cheese icing
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My Best Homemade Chicken Pot Pie Recipe [+Video]

This Homemade Chicken Pot Pie Recipe is made completely from scratch! It has a buttery, flaky crust and the most luscious chicken and vegetable filling!

Between our famous Chili recipe and this chicken pot pie recipe I’M CONVINCED that as much as we are always looking for the newest thing we actually crave the comfort of the past.

Chicken Pot Pie (From Scratch!)

I remember my mom bringing home a frozen pot pie from the store on the nights that she was just too crazy busy to make it from scratch. Back then that was the norm, you know? Convenience items weren’t thought twice about because they were there to help moms get dinner on the table.

Since that time, I’d forgotten about pot pie until years and years ago we had a homemade one from a friend and it was comfort food perfection! We’ve had our chicken pot pie soup on the blog for a long time, but we’ve needed a classic chicken pot pie. Sadly it’s taken me until now to develop the perfect pie crust and chicken pot pie filling, but here it is!

I mean, the crust had to be buttery and flaky but still hold up to the filling and my gosh, that filling needed to be perfect! None of this watery mumbo jumbo. And no, it should not taste like chicken gravy either. It should be a perfect sauce with well seasoned big pieces of chicken in it. Rotisserie chicken is a must to achieve that. Not only is it easier, but the flavor and texture are meant to be!

Gather all your loved ones near and dive in to this homemade pot pie! The crust is flaky and perfectly encases the rich and creamy chicken and vegetable filling. It is comfort in every single bite!

What’s Needed for Homemade Chicken Pot Pie?

This easy chicken pot pie recipe has two main parts: the homemade pot pie crust and the veggie-packed filling. Here’s what you’ll need to make this chicken pot pie from scratch:

For the Crust

• All-purpose flour
• Butter
• Granulated sugar
• Salt
• Water

For the Filling

• Rotisserie chicken
• Carrots, peas, and corn
• Yellow onion
• Celery
• Garlic
• Nutmeg
• Fresh thyme
• Chicken broth
• Milk
• Egg
• Water

The measurements for all the ingredients can be found in the recipe at the end of this post. This is meant to just be an overview of the ingredients you’ll need.

How to Make Chicken Pot Pie

Step 1: Make the Chicken Pot Pie Crust

A pot pie requires a special