Diner Sweet and Spicy Meatloaf

Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the green peppers, red peppers and onions until very soft and browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate or baking sheet and let cool. Can refrigerate until cold. (This can be done a day ahead.)

Step 2: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 3: Mix the breadcrumbs, milk and roasted garlic in a bowl; it should have an oatmeal-like consistency. Set aside.

Step 4: In another bowl, mix the ketchup, steak sauce, sriracha, maple syrup and steak seasoning. If the sauce is too spicy for you, add a little more ketchup to mellow the heat. Set aside.

Step 5: In a bowl, combine the ground beef, sausage, eggs, parsley, pepper-onion mixture and two-thirds of the meatloaf sauce. Mix well, but don't overwork. For taste-test before baking the meatloaf (I do this often), take a small ball of the meat mixture and make a bite-size patty. Sauté the patty in a pan until cooked through, then taste. Add salt and pepper to the meatloaf mix as needed.

Step 6: When you are happy with the flavor, place the meatloaf mixture in a greased loaf pan, or form it into a log and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet (I prefer shaping into a log, given that when made in a loaf pan, it can swim in grease, but it's up to you.

Step 7: Bake until the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven; adjust the oven to a low broil. Brush the top of the loaf with half of the remaining sauce, then return to the oven to caramelize the sauce, 2 to 3 minutes. Let rest for 20 minutes before slicing. Serve with mashed potatoes and a drizzle of the remaining sauce.

Step 8: *NOTE: The leftovers make an amazing sandwich! It was mentioned that adding seared slices to a grilled cheese sandwich with some of the sweet and spicy sauce is really good.