Mama's Meatloaf

I’ve never understood it when people say they hate meatloaf. I remember the foods of my childhood that I hated like orange roughy with stewed tomatoes on top, but meatloaf was never in that category.

I make meatloaf about once a month…OK well maybe not that much, but on a fairly regular basis.  I was asking my little sister what she wanted to eat this week and she said meatloaf.  She never made it on her own when she lived in North Carolina and my mom doesn’t eat meat anymore so she never made it for her when she would go home for a long weekend. So last night we had meatloaf and roasted potatoes.  Here is a go at me writing my own recipe, or rather trying to explain what I do. Thank goodness meatloaf isn’t difficult.

Mama’s Meatloaf

Serves: great question maybe 3 or 4 people

1lb of ground beef

¼ cup parmesean cheese

3/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs

1 large egg

2 tbsp of dried basil

2 or 3 tbsp of minced garlic (we like a lot of garlic so I’m always heavy handed on this)

1tsp of pepper

Dump all ingredients into a bowl and mix together with your hands.

Depending on how big your egg is or how wet your beef is you may need to adjust the amount of breadcrumbs. start with 3/4 of a cup and add more if necessary

Form into a loaf in a baking dish and surround with chopped up potatoes. I generally toss potatoes in the same flavors i'm using with dinner: basil, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Bake at 425 degrees for 45-60 minutes.

 

The end pieces are my favorite because they get super crispy:) dip that in ketchup and its amazing.  My MIL cooks her ketchup with the meatloaf. like she spreads it all over the top of the meatloaf before it goes in the oven. so the ketchup is cold. I just don't get that. don't do that. I mean I guess you can if you want but I can assure you its much better my way.

Ben asked me to take a picture of his plate last night. I don't put ketchup directly on my food but I told him his plate certainly looked good enough to share with everyone.  but i'm a dipper:) 

I also freeze my meatloaf.  It is an easy meal to throw together after you've unloaded your groceries.  Just add all ingredients together for the meatloaf, form loaf in a disposable pan and cover with foil.  Then put in a freezer bag. 

The day you want to have the meatloaf for dinner, take it out of the freezer that morning, I leave my on the kitchen counter while I'm getting ready for work and pop it into the refrigerator as i'm running out the door, and by the time you get home from work it should be dethawed and ready to throw in the oven.  All you'll need to do is make some potatoes and a salad!