My husband loves Meatloaf. When we couldn't go out to dinner for our anniversary, he requested meatloaf. Luckily, I had one in the freezer (we were snowed in). If there is one thing I have learned it is to prepare your meatloaf ahead of time. Not bake it ahead of time, but mix it up ahead of time. I often will mix it all up once I get home from the store and put it in the freezer so that when it is "Meatloaf night" I can just set it out and pop it into the oven later that day.
Here is my meatloaf recipe. While there are a million out there, this is what we love. Feel free to get creative though. Add cheese, use BBQ sauce as a topping, add an endless variety of vegetables chopped in. I frequently add green bell pepper, cream corn or spinach right in to the mix. The measurements below are for 1 lb of meat. Increase accordingly depending on how much you are making.
Ingredients
1 lb Lean ground beef or turkey
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs/crumbled toast/crackers
1 egg
1/2 can tomato paste
1/4 onion, minced
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
dash worcestershire sauce, optional
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
I prefer to mix all of my seasonings in a separate bowl and then pour them into the main bowl so everything distributes evenly.
If you don't have tomato paste then just use catsup or omit it all together.
Allow mix to "marinate" for at least 2 hours.
Mold meat mixture into an even "loaf". I use a slotted pan so that any extra fat can drip down, you are welcome to use a loaf pan. Just be sure to check it about half way through and make sure you don't need to drain off any excess fat that may be pooling around.
Bake for 45 minutes on 375. Take out of oven, top with remaining tomato paste mixed with equal parts catsup (or all catsup if you don't have tomato paste). Bake an additional 10 minutes.
Slice, serve and enjoy :)
