Overall very similar to many of you but I do have a couple of differences.
Instead of all ground beef/chuck or what ever, I will use tofu for a little less than one quarter (normally I am not a big tofu fan, but I find it really does work well with meatloaf) of the meat used, but mix it in well.
A couple of people have mentioned ketchup. Substitute V-8 Juice or even better “Snappy Tom” for a livelier taste.
I use a package of dehydrated chicken noodle soup in the mix and I find it provides a hint of something different but only a hint. I do recommend you use a bit more liquid than usual (remember “Snappy Tom”) if you do take the dehydrated soup suggestion.
Finally, as you form the loaf make an good indentation in the top and about 15 or 20 minutes before it is finished cooking, fork the indentation well and put your favorite jams or preserves in the indentation and put it in the oven again for the remainder of its cooking time. I find I like grape.
I will also use curry powder in the mix
For bachelors trying to impress dates with their cooking ability or cooks going for something different to enliven the meal, a coating of brandy on the meatloaf set afire can create quite the affect. Two things to remember, however, 1. have the meatloaf on a serving dish that has a lid so the fire can be put out. 2. make sure your fire alarm is turned off.
1 lb ground beef
1 tube “lite” breakfast sausage
1 pkg Stove Top stuffing, any flavor
1/2 onion, diced fine
1/2 green pepper, diced fine
1 egg
1/4 cup ketchup - approx
salt and pepper to taste but the stuffing has a lot of salt
Mix it all up with your hands. Form a loaf on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for about an hour, or until a thermometer reads 165°. Let stand about 10 minutes. I don’t glaze mine.
2 lbs groundbeef (75% lean)
(the rest is by feel):
Crumbled Ritz crackers
2 eggs
Chopped white onion
Paprika
Salt
Pepper
Mace (my special meatloaf “secret”)
Serve hot with cold ketchup. Just like Mom used to make.
I’ve only ever had one meatloaf I liked. It wasn’t topped with ketchup; and it had mushrooms in it. Anyone have a similar recipe? Also, AskNott’s recipe is making me wish I had something other than a microwave to cook with.
Ground beef
Chopped onion, celery, and bell pepper
Bread or cracker crumbs, or uncooked oatmeal
Milk
Egg
Worcestershire sauce
A1 sauce, both in the loaf and as a glaze
Seasoned salt
Poultry seasoning
Minced garlic or garlic powder
It’s better to saute the onion, celery, pepper and garlic in a bit of olive oil or butter before adding them to the mix.
I can’t believe I’m the only one who has listed celery as an ingredient. It’s GOOD in meatloaf. And I find that A1 sauce is much, much better than ketchup.
I never measure meatloaf ingredients. I just eyeball everything. Sorry.
A little technical tip: If you end up with a little moat of melted fat around the loaf, you can fold a paper towel up, so it’s an inch wide. Dip it lengthwise in the fat, and the fat will wick up into the towel.
I was serious about how I prepare meatloaf, Dolores. It was **Trunk, DeVena **and Javamaven1 that were being a touch tongue in cheek about their distaste for the use of tofu in a traditional American meat dish.
I spent quite awhile in Japan and gained quite a respect for tofu. As I said in my post, I don’t generally use it for most things, but I do indeed use it with meatloaf.
I truly enjoy creating meatloaf. I find it is one of the handful of American meat dishes that really allows for creativity on the part of the preparer. That’s why I do use brandy, tofu, curry, Snappy Tom, chili, dehydrated chicken-noodle soup and even jams.
With many dishes the creativity is limited to sauces or a bit of tweeking here or there but with meatloaf you really can make it your own. You should see what I do with dressing.
Dude. I thought you were joking and making fun of our recipes!
I mean, it’s unusual how you make it, but if it’s how you like it, then that’s cool… but… grape jelly? Whoa. I’d still give it a try–I’ll eat just about anything once.
Well, I thought so. I wouldn’t ever attempt your recipe, but I would try it if served to me. I generally don’t like the texture of tofu. It feels like fat. I love hot and sour soup, but I try to not eat the tofu in it.
“To each his own,” said the man who kissed the cow!
A time-honored recipe for making meatballs involves cooking them in a mixture of grape jelly and chili sauce. It’s actually quite good, but a little goes a long way.