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teachingmom
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| Posted: March 12 2008 at 10:58pm | IP Logged
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Honestly, I never thought I would be asking this. I hated meatloaf as a child. I have never once cooked it as an adult.
Now I have children, who for some unexplained reason, are curious about meatloaf. They were asking about it the other day and asked if I would make it one day for them to try. OK, my taste buds have matured by now. Who knows . . . maybe we'll all love it.
So can you all please share your very best recipes?
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~Irene (Mom to 6 girls, ages 7-19)
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: March 12 2008 at 11:42pm | IP Logged
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hmmm I have never had a recipe. so this will be difficult
I mix in 1 egg to 1 lb of meat (multiply to needed amount)
mix in salt and pepper and parsley and dried onion and a small amount of tomato sauce and bread crumbs to make a fairly stable loaf (not one that spreads out if left on it's own) pour some tomato sauce over the top and bake at 350* until cooked.
My kids like this best leftover.. because I'll broil slices with cheese on top 
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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Courtney
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| Posted: March 13 2008 at 5:16am | IP Logged
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Wow, Irene! I thought this post in my head yesterday as I made meatloaf! I've never been a big fan of it.
I put in a cup of milk, 2 eggs (to 1 1/2 lbs of beef), 1 C bread crumbs (I used the Pepperidge Farms stuffing mix) and some sage. Cook it at 350 for 1 hour 15 min. covered with foil. When it's done, I uncover it and pour the sauce on (1 C catsup, 3 Tbs brown sugar and 1/2 tsp ground mustard) and cook 15 more minutes uncovered.
When my dh makes it, he likes to add corn or even a hard boiled egg in the middle  . I like mine plain, if I must eat it!
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Courtney in Texas
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Mom to Candace 10/97 ,Christopher 4/00 and Connor 11/11
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folklaur
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| Posted: March 13 2008 at 6:03am | IP Logged
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Courtney wrote:
| even a hard boiled egg in the middle . |
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My Mom made it like that sometimes! And here I thought it was just a "thing" she did  .
I love my Mom's meatloaf (w/o the egg!)....I will get the recipe, and post ASAP. I don't make it often, because we rarely (never?) eat beef, and...well....making it with ground turkey is okay, but not quite the same.
Also - I never really liked anyone else's meatloaf. I had a friend, and when her mom served me meatloaf I remember really not liking it .
My Mom really learned to cook from her M-I-L, who was from Russia (and boy could she cook!) But she never used recipes. So my Mom never really did either...more like "guidelines".
Okay, it is 3:30am, and I should be asleep, and I am rambling, but I will be back later with the recipe.
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mary
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| Posted: March 13 2008 at 6:30am | IP Logged
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1 lb of ground beef, small jar of salsa and oatmeal (1/2 - 1 c) until it sticks together. i cook it in a muffin pan. it has nice flavor, is easy to make and i don't have to put my hands into it!
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Mary Chris
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| Posted: March 13 2008 at 6:46am | IP Logged
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Irene,
Here is mine. It is from Eat, Drink and Be Chinaberry
2lbs ground beef
1/4 C parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic
3T fresh parsley, chopped fine
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cracked pepper
3T fresh basil
1 medium onion
1 C quick oats
1/2 C ketchup
Mix and bake at 350 for one hour. Now I know it looks sort of frou frou and calls for lots of ingredients, but I make some adjustments. I don't use the onion, I don't use the fresh herbs, unless I happen to have them on hand, I use dried. I probably don't use the parsely at all because I don't always have that even in its dried form.
I use regular pepper and slow cooking oatmeal.
Everyone here likes it, in fact if you happen to make it and invite us over for dinner you will need to make two. Just so you all know, Carter devours meatloaf .
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mom to MacKenzie3/95, Carter 12/97 Ronan 3/00 and wife to Jim since 1/92
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: March 13 2008 at 6:58am | IP Logged
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I thought I hated meatloaf for most of my life, but then I realized I'd just never had good meatloaf (cafeteria...ick). My mom never made it, but then found a good recipe, and I liked it.
Since, I've found an even better recipe. The best ever, really. Its from America's Test Kitchen (the best cookbook I have, and I've tried a lot, I'd recommend it to anyone).
All-American Meatloaf
1 T veg oil (I've used olive)
1 onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t dried thyme
1/2 c ketchup
1/4 c packed light brown sugar (sucanat, maple syrup, or molasses)
4 tsp cider vinegar
2 large eggs
1/2 c milk, plus extra as needed
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp worcestershire (asian fish sauce)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp epepper
2 lbs meatloaf mix (I like equal parts pork and beef, but all beef is okay, too)
2/3 c crushed saltines or 1 1 /2 c fresh bread crumbs (I've used oatmeal, too, soaked in the milk)
1/3 c fresh parsley (I've omitted and its fine)
Adjust oven to middle at 350 degreesl. Hear oil in 8 inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 min. Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, 15 seconds. Set aside to cool 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix together the ketchup, brown sugar, and vinegar and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, milk, mustard, wrc., salt, pepper, and Tabasco.
Mix the meatloaf mix, crackers, parsley, sauteed onion mixture, and egg mixture until evenly blended and the mixture doesn't stick to the bowl (if the mixture sticks, add additional milk, a T at a time)
Turn the meat mixture onto a foil-lined baking sheet and shape into a 9x5 loaf. Brush with 1.2 the ketchup mixture. Bake for 45 minutes.
Brush the loaf with the remaining ketchup mixture and continue to bake untilt he center of the loaf measure 160 on an instant-read thermometer, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
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[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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Fuzzy
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| Posted: March 13 2008 at 9:47am | IP Logged
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I use an Italian meatloaf recipe from Joy of Cooking. It is a basic meatloaf with some additions, and I like how moist it is:
Combine in a bowl:
12 oz ground beef round
12 oz ground beef chuck (I just use whatever ground beef I have on hand)
1 1/2 cups chopped onions (which, if you like less of a crunch, I would saute them before adding to the mix)
1 cup quick cooking rolled oats or breadcrumbs
2/3 cup ketchup
2/3 cup finely chopped parsley
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp ground thyme (i usually omit)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2-3 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
Combine with your hands (my LEAST favorite part  ). Fill a loaf pan with the mixture, bake at 350 for 1-1 1/4 hours, or until the meat is firm to the touch and has shrunk from the sides of the pan. Internal temp should be 160.
This says to pour off access fat, but I like to drain as I cook, and then let stand for 15 minutes.
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Fuzzy
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DominaCaeli
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| Posted: March 13 2008 at 10:27am | IP Logged
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I use Michael Chiarello's Italian Meatloaf recipe from Food Network (my alterations are below the original):
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 red pepper, seeded, small diced
1 onion, diced
2 teaspoons (about 3 cloves) chopped garlic
1 pound ground beef
2 eggs
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup marinara sauce
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat and add the peppers, onions and garlic. Saute until just soft, remove to a plate and cool.
When the peppers and onions are cool, combine all of the remaining ingredients together except for the marinara. Pack the meat mixture into an oiled loaf pan, if you do not have a loaf pan, form the meat mixture into a loaf shape on an oiled oven tray or baking dish. Top with the marinara making sure to spread evenly over the top.
Bake for approximately 50 to 60 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees F in the middle of the meatloaf. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve.
**My changes: I increase a few of the ingredients: about a cup of fresh bread crumbs and 1.2 pounds ground beef (that's how Trader Joe's packages it). I also substitute a combo of dry seasonings for the fresh ones and an extra onion for the red pepper, depending on the season. I often just cut the parmesan cheese to cut costs. And I usually leave the sauce off the top until the end so that I can "drain" the meatloaf first. (Gee, that sounds delicious, doesn't it! ) Anyway, I've been really pleased with this recipe--my husband loves it.
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Celeste
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organiclilac
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| Posted: March 13 2008 at 11:36am | IP Logged
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We like veggies in our meatloaf. I don't use a recipe, exactly, but this is what usually ends up in there:
2 lbs. ground beef
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1 or 2 eggs
about 1 cup grated veggies, usually half carrot and half zucchini
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
celery salt and paprika - maybe 1/2 and 1/4 teaspoon, respectively?
chopped onion, bell pepper, and/or mushrooms
Top with a good BBQ sauce before baking.
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Tracy, wife to Shawn, mama to Samuel (4/01) and Joseph (11/11), and Thomas (2/15)
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Donna Marie
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| Posted: March 13 2008 at 12:39pm | IP Logged
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Thanks for all the ideas! I love to shred veggies in mine and oftentimes add leftover oatmeal from breakfast...sssh! Don't tell the kids
God love you!
Donna Marie from NJ
hs momma to 7dc +one more due 10/08
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Donna Marie from NJ
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Finding Elegant Simplicity
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folklaur
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| Posted: March 13 2008 at 1:55pm | IP Logged
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Mom's Meatloaf
My mom is at work, but she gave me this from memory over the phone
1 1/2 lbs ground beef (NOT the super lean, so you get some flavor and it won't dry out - like usually ground chuck)
1 slice of bread - usually the heel, all crumbled up
1 beaten egg
little bit of pepper
1/3 package dry onion soup mix
1 ts beef bullion
little bit of ketchup (maybe a little mustard, but much less mustard than ketchup...mustard gives it a little zip)
a little more than a splash of milk ( about 1/4 cup?)
(Also, if you like onion, you can chop up 1/2 small sweet onion chopped very fine)
Mix, shape into loaf, make sure your pan has some edges.
Preheat oven to 450 -
When you put the loaf in the oven,
Pour 1/2 cup ice water over top and let cook at 450 degrees for 20 or so minutes, then reduce temp to 350 for about 45 minutes -1 hour or till done (We like our meat well done...)
(You can just do it for 350 and not do all that with the ice water but that is how she did it if she had the time. It gives it a crusty yummy top.)
Use pan drippings to make gravy.
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Cay Gibson
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| Posted: March 13 2008 at 2:06pm | IP Logged
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I realized, later in life, that what I didn't like about the school cafeteria meatloaf was the tomato sauce on it.
So I began making meatloaf without the tomato sauce and I add a packet of Lipton dry onion/mushroom gravy mix to the mixture. I also add bread crumbs to stretch it. A couple of eggs helped it all stick together. Gotta have Worcestershire sauce in it too.
Over the past couple of years, I've been shaping my meatloaf into a pie pan with an indention in the middle and bake it at 350 until cooked, then I drain it and top with mashed potatoes and shredded cheddar cheese.
Veggies on the side. The family loves it.
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Cay Gibson
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Carole N.
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| Posted: March 13 2008 at 4:19pm | IP Logged
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I never have meatloaf that comes out the same twice! I alway start with 1 lb of beef and l lb of pork. To this I add Pepperidge Farm breadcrumbs (the herbal ones are my favorites), an egg or two, and then I look at my Joy of Cooking. This usually (but not always) involves adding horseradish, Coleman's mustard (a big hit with my family), a package of Lipton's onion soup mix (now I have to use fresh since that is not available over here), and some sort of tomato sauce. My mother used to put in the last of her ketchup bottle with some water added to get all of the ketchup out. I usually use a small can of tomato sauce.
I have made this at least once since we have moved over to Wales. I do NOT have my Joy of Cooking with me, so I have to guess. I believe that I added Herbes de Provence in lieu of my normal spices.
Once I have the whole thing mixed, I shape it on a baking dish, add bacon across the top, put an aluminum foil tent over it and bake until it looks mostly done (you can tell by the smell in the kitchen!) I take the foil off for the last half hour to brown the top.
My family loves this with mashed potatoes and sauteed green beans. It is probably one of the most favorite meals for my dh. Good luck finding the perfect recipe. I plan to keep experimenting!
Look for an update when we unpack our belongings (hopefully mid-May)!
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Carole ... in Wales
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teachingmom
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| Posted: March 31 2008 at 5:54pm | IP Logged
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Hello Friends,
I just returned to this thread to find another meatloaf recipe to try and realized that I never replied to all the recipes you all so kindly shared. Sorry!
When I first posted, I tried a version of Mary Chris's recipe with great success. I sauteed the onion and garlic in my new cast iron pan, then used the pan to cook the meatloaf in a sort of round shape. I made a gravy with the drippings, which some of us enjoyed. I only wished I had potatoes in the house to make some mashed potatoes to go with it. Everyone was very willing to try it, and dh and some of the girls really liked it.  I must admit that I liked it too.
But there was a bit of a taste to it that brought back memories of the childhood meatloaf I did not care for. After thinking about it, I believe I have to agree with Cay. I think it might be the ketchup taste that bothers me a bit. Next time I use any of the recipes that call for ketchup, I think I might try substituting marinara sauce.
Tonight I am trying a version of Tracy's, since it did not call for ketchup. I am curious how it will taste with the grated carrot in it, and I think the cheese will be a good addition. I substituted a garlic and herb spice mix I have in the cupboard for all the other seasonings. It's in the oven now and smells really good.
Thanks again for all your replies. I plan to work my way through them until I find the perfect one for our family!
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~Irene (Mom to 6 girls, ages 7-19)
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Topic: Your very best meatloaf recipe?
