Meatloaf

One of my favorite meals to make at home for my family is meatloaf. Meatloaf is a well-rounded meal that makes wonderful leftover sandwiches. I make it different each time I cook it for diversity as well as to please everyone’s tastes. I feel there is a myriad of ways to make meatloaf. You can add or take from the recipe such as onions. Things can be substituted for a sundry of flavors, for example, using Cheez-It crackers instead of saltines. I will list the recipe that is my personal favorite.

The ingredients used are a pound ground chuck, a medium onion diced, a can diced tomatoes (drained), approximately a sleeve of saltine crackers (crushed), 2 large eggs,  ½ cup ketchup, ¼ cup milk, seasonings (seasoning salt, garlic powder, chili powder) or I use an envelope of Lipton’s French onion soup. In a large bowl mix burger, eggs, milk, ketchup, and seasonings mix well (make sure seasoning is evenly distributed). Mix in onions, tomatoes, and crushed crackers (half at a time). The consistency should make a loaf easily without a dense feeling to it. If the loaf feels too dry, add a little more milk, if it is not forming a loaf, add a few more crackers.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 60 minutes depending on the size and thickness of the loaf. I have used bread pans and they work wonderful. I, however, prefer to use a cookie sheet with a rack (cookie cooling rack). I put tinfoil over the rack and poke holes about 2 inches away from the corners of the loaf. I put foil over it as well and let it cook for about 45 minutes. Take the foil off from the top, spread some ketchup over the loaf, and return to the oven to brown for about another 15 minutes.

The reason I choose to cook with this method over a bread pan is that you can still have moist meatloaf without all the grease. I hope you enjoy!!