Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Meat Loaf

I was actually thinking about making meat loaf. I'm not sure why, maybe because its starting to be cold out. I'm not even sure that I've ever even eaten meat loaf. Anyway, I'm looking for advice. Is this a worthwhile endeavor? And if so, can anyone recommend a good recipe? And also, what would one eat it with?

11 comments:

Rev Dr Mom said...

Really, you've never eaten meatloaf?

I'm a vegetarian now, but I used to make really good meatloaf. The fancy recipes will tell you to use a combination of ground pork and ground beef, but I just used ground beef, salt and pepper, a beaten egg, some rolled oats, some milk, some ketchup, some Worcestershire sauce, and whatever other seasonings I felt like. I didn't really measure things much, but the recipe I think came from a Quaker oats box. Mush it all together and put it in a loaf pan and bake it 350 for an hour maybe? My mother always put strips of bacon on the top, and others put ketchup on top.

Italian meatloaf--same basic recipe, but add some Italian herbs, put half in pan, make a hollow and a cup or so of mozzarella cheese, then cover with the rest of the mean mixture and serve with some tomato sauce.

We almost always had rice and green peas with meatloaf. Mashed potatoes and some sort of green vegetable are a good bet, too.

It's an easy and versatile thing to make.

Anonymous said...

Oh, my dear. Meatloaf is such a HUGE favorite with my six kiddos that they still insist I make it in during summer reunion.

Follow the recipie on the back of the Quaker Oats Box. It's pretty much with Rev Dr. Mom says, but will give you the measurements (no bacon, though).

THEN . . .here's the part my kiddos love . . . take the meat mixture and make it into a "shape".

I've used the Sun, a Fish, the Moon, a sailboat, etc.

Put it on a broiler pan . . . so the grease can drip into the bottom pan while it cooks.

Set it aside and mke Bisquick dough according to direction on the package Roll it out and cover the meatloaf shape.

Decorate with scraps of the dough. My kiddos love the Man in the Moon or the Smiling Sun with great rays. A fish can be a Starfish or a Swordfish - use the dough creatively.

Brush with egg wash.

Cook according to meatloaf instruction. If necessary, cover dough with aluminum foil if it gets too dark.

Serve with either potatoes (my kiddos love mashed white or sweet potato) or rice and your favorite veggie.

ENJOY!

Anonymous said...

Thank you all for these great ideas on meatloaf. Probably Anne never ate this culinary delectation because I never made it, because whenever I suggested it, her dad would say, "ME-E-A-ATloaf????" with such scorn, that I would instantly look around for another idea.
Now that I think of it, I'm going to make some this very week and serve it up with an edge.
ME (Anne's mom)

Anonymous said...

I have taken to adding whatever I have around...with a few main things like the egg, bread crumbled up, Worcestershire sauce, and a combo of spices. I put half the mixture in the loaf pan, then add a layer of cheese, then top the cheese with the rest of the mixture. The kids thiink it's like a breadless cheeseburger. We tend to have greenbeans with it, and whatever else I have around.

C. Wingate said...

We've got the basic meatloaf recipe down here, all right. (You can mix in ground turkey with beef too.)

I've always thought of meatloaf as a "meat and potatoes" sort of dish. Chuck some in to bake with the meatloaf, or fries (if you have two ovens) or something like that. We often have it with "succotashu": Conr and edamame (green soybeans-- I think you can get them at Safeway these days, or if you're really fortunate and have a Trader Joe's nearby, I know they carry them).

Kerry said...

Hi Anne! I just saw your comment on my blog - thank you!

I'd like to correspong with you via email about an idea I have for Advent. Would you email me at kerry.wmson@gmail.com?

Kerry

Anonymous said...

The best thing to put on top of the meatloaf (put on about 1/2 way through the cook time) is a mixture of ketsup, maple syrup and dried mustard. Proportions to taste. It makes a yummy sauce and you can use any left over sauce to dip in.

Anne said...

Thank you all So Much! I have purchased all kinds of meat and stuff and was getting all set to start cooking, when Matt read this post and said, 'you're thinking about cooking what?' so I am now battling with him. I will prevail. I am completely fascinated by this whole enterprise.

Alfreda E Neuman said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Alfreda E Neuman said...

Well, we don't eat beef or pork anymore but I have to say I made a bang up meatloaf when we did.

Lean ground beef seasoned with onions, garlic, Worcestershire, ketchup, ground up crackers or store bought bread crumbs, and raw egg to bind it up and keep it from getting dry. Salt and pepper to taste. And what ever comes to mind, Crumble it all together and bake until done. Oh, geez now why did we start not eating red meat?

Just to add: We ate green beans or salad because of the heavy ground beef.

Anne said...

I apologize deeply. It seems a comment has been deleted. I have no idea how. Probably some child sat on my computer when I wasn't looking. If whoever posted would like to resubmit that would be fine. I don't even have comment moderation on. So sorry.