Supper for Loafers

Do you like comfort food?

We do. Over the years we've tried (and sampled) many meat loaf recipes at home and when dining out. Like many recipes, some were good and some were not so good. Recently we found a new favorite (at least for now).

In this one, added vegetables provided extra moisture and flavor. If you don't want visible chunks of carrots or celery, chop the veggies extra-fine with a food processor. A meat loaf mix of beef and pork is often hard to find in our local supermarket, so we used only beef.

If you prefer, sauté the veggies first. But when chopped fine, there's no need to pre-cook, besides it's an extra step. 

(New) Favorite Meat Loaf Recipe

• 1-1/2 to 2 lb. ground beef (or use a mix of beef and pork
• 1/2 to 3/4 C bread crumbs 
• 2 carrots, chopped fine
• 2 celery ribs, chopped fine
• 1 med. sweet onion, chopped fine 
• 2 TBSP parsley
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 2 tsp dry mustard 
• 1 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/2 C ketchup 
• 1 TBSP kosher salt (or 2 tsp table salt)
• 1 tsp black pepper 
• 1 egg, slightly beaten 

Topping

• 1/2  C ketchup
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 2 TBSP brown sugar

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Place ingredients in a large bowl. 
   
3. Mix  together well using your hands.
4. Place into glass baking dish and shape into loaf.
5. Mix together topping ingredients in a small bowl, then spread on meatloaf
6. Bake for 1 hour (until internal temp. reaches 175 degrees).
7. Let rest 10 minutes before cutting.

We served with a topping of mushrooms and onions with sides of baked sweet potatoes and sautéed zucchini and peppers.