"It is well to remember that the entire population of the universe, with one trifling exception, is composed of others." A.Holmes

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

The Truth About MeatLoaf, MeatLoaf Formula

~I was so filled with joy at the good news for us today that I felt like making one of my Hubby's favorite dinners. I am one of those people who under stress, or too busy...forget to eat. I even forget my Hubby needs to eat...poor Hubby. Well, I would prepare a good meal for him tonight. See ? ( above ) Meat loaf with acorn squash , home made coleslaw, and mushrooms sauteed in butter. I know, the baked potatoes are missing but I forgot to buy potatoes and did not want to make the trip to town just for potatoes..O.K., just slap me if you're upset I dislike potatoes. Anyway, Hubby said the baked acorn squash with butter and brown sugar was just fine and dandy. But hey, he had chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, REAL homemade butter cream chocolate ( with real butter ) frosting! ~Anyway, there are several things that are true about meat loaf that make it the perfect meat for dinner....
  1. Meat loaf can contain ANY type of ground meat, or any combo of ground meats!
  2. Meat loaf is a good companion dish to potatoes ( yuck )
  3. Meat loaf is the meal that if I tell my Hubby we will be having it for dinner, and something happens that I am unable to actually prepare and serve it for dinner, why...it can pretty much ruin my Hubby's day, because......
  4. If he knows we are having meat loaf for dinner he looks forward to dinner ALL day and
  5. he believes the best reason of all to have meat loaf for dinner is the meat loaf sandwiches for lunch the NEXT day! ( below)
~Here is the meat loaf recipe I began using before I was married and it is from Redbook Magazine, must have been printed more than 37 years ago...it is actually a FORMULA for meat loaf, so here goes the fail proof recipe for Meat Loaf;
MEAT LOAF FORMULA
  1. 2 cups fine soft bread crumbs, or rolled oats, or crackers
  2. 2/3 cup finely chopped peeled onion
  3. 2 teaspoons salt
  4. 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  5. 1/2 cup milk, or tomato sauce, or red wine, or ?( liquid )
  6. 2 eggs
  7. 2 pounds of ground meat in any combination,I have used pork and venison, hamburger and pork, hamburger and turkey...or 2 pounds of just beef...you get the picture. Hey , you could use 2 pounds of rattlesnake and ground rabbit if you want.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place bread crumbs, onion, salt and pepper,and liquid in a large bowl. Combine thoroughly. Add the eggs, combine.Break the ground meat up and add to the mixture. Mix thoroughly ( I use my hands for this) Bake in appropriately sized loaf or casserole pans for 1 and 1/2 hours. Pour off excess fat and for easy slicing let sit about 10 minutes before serving.
Although I always use this formula, my meat loaves vary because I vary seasonings, types of bread crumbs,liquids,and sometimes add chopped herbs . So my meat loaves are reliably firm and slice easily, but taste is always slightly different. Keeps things exciting in the kitchen...and that's the truth about meat loaf here at Cedar Pond and I am sticking to this story.

14 comments:

LindaSue said...

ah our husbands have the same "look forward to" meal - although without the potato DH would raise an eyebrow before devouring the loaf of meat. Your formula is similar to mine - I really like ground turkey and beef but it makes an odd color (add more tomato sauce Linda Sue). I was planning to roast a turkey today - maybe meatloaf for the weekend? BTW I like you in spite of the character flaw (forgetting to eat is just not in my repertoire of behaviors!). Thanks for the inspiration

Karen said...

One of my favorite meals is meatloaf and mashed potatoes! Thanks for the recipe. I'm glad you had a wonderful day.

Thistle Cove Farm said...

Yours is similar to the "classic" meatloaf - beef, pork, chicken - although we don't eat poultry, unless it's wild turkey, at our house.

Southern Comfort said...

Wow! you made meatloaf, too. It looks fantastic. The ones I made were probably extremely fattening and we did have enough left over for my son and I to have it for lunch, and my daughter ate it for breakfast! And in answer to your question about my lost comments, I haven't resolved that issue yet. I'm glad I didn't lose your comment.

Anonymous said...

Yummy!

Anonymous said...

Kathy, I am so thankful that yesterday was a good day for your family.
The meatloaf recipe sounds and looks delicious and one that I will definitely try.

Jennifer said...

That sounds so good I might just have to make meatloaf for supper. :)

Paula said...

Mmmm your recipe sounds wonderful, Kathy! And I too have used deer meat for mine on occasion. It's my hubby's favorite dish, too!

Lanny said...

We had meatloaf two gatherings ago, Ebet made it following the only meatloaf recipe my mom would use, "Prizewinning Meatloaf" on the Quaker Oats box. My mom always put a strip or two of bacon on the top with a drizzle of ketchup. Yum. Meatloaf is one of those meals that I forget to make and swear I won't forget again everytime I do make it.

A. Joy said...

I use the exact same recipe but my meatloaf never turns out right. Been making it now for 10 years and still - not quite right. It always turns into a small round crumbly lump and no - it's not overcooked. Just like my biscuits ! I use your recipe but mine turn out flat! I'll have to have you over to watch me make them both so you can show me what I'm doing wrong!

Stella Jones said...

Being English, I have a few questions...what is an acorn squash? You say 2lbs of ground meat - how many people would that be for? I use 1lb of ground beef for four people, does that equate? What are those orange things with the sandwiches? Your meals look scrumptious.
Blessings, Star

Anonymous said...

Oh I love meatloaf but not more than potatoes. It's so versatile and I love mine with ketchup..best sammy in the world.

Shelley said...

Meatloaf is such a wonderful comfort food! My husband loves it - thank you for sharing this recipe!

KathyB. said...

LindaSue,thank-you for overlooking a major character flaw!Turkey sounds yummy....and I once served a meatloaf dinner and invited a good friend over to dine with us while his wife and kids were visiting relatives, I forgot to bake the potatoes and he could NOT help remarking "it just isn't a meat loaf dinner without potatoes! " ( Goose shooter !)

Karen, thank-you!

Thistle Cove Farm,wild turkeys are tasty..and in north eastern WA are abundant, and almost downright peaky.

Southern Comfort, it sounds like your daughter and i prefer the same types of breakfast food. I hope the comment problem is fixed by now.

Amy, yes, for sure...very yummy!I just ate some leftover meat loaf.

Mildred, thank-you.

Jennifer, the nice thing about meat loaf is that if there are left overs , it makes good sandwiches and dinner the next night..and breakfast too!

Farm Chick Paula, I don't think I know of any men who do not like a decent meat loaf...

Lanny, I have used that recipe too. I have to add some rolled oats to my meat loaf because Hubby seems to think they are a necessary ingredient ...usually I make them a small part of the bread mixture. And you all make great meat loaf.

A.Joy, I made biscuits for you today, we'll make them together soon, to go with the meat loaf!

Star, thank-you. The orange things with the sandwich were Ranch Flavored Doritos. The Acorn squash is like a Hubbard squash, and if you use 1 pound of meat, just cut the recipe in half!

Shellmo, another husband who loves meat loaf!

Noble Pig, I know, you publish some fantastic potato recipes, they are your thing, it would have made my life much easier if I liked potatoes, believe me.