Meat Loaf

I was pretty young when I got married.  My skill set in the kitchen was baking bread, pies and cookies.  And as they say, "Man can not live on bread alone", so I had to scramble to figure out the rest.  Looking back I might have been ahead of the game, but knowing a frugal main dish or two would have been a good idea.  

I didn't even know how to cut-up chicken.  I had to follow a diagram in a cookbook.  When I was growing up we had a home cooked meal every night.  Where was I?

I found a recipe on the back of the oatmeal box for meatloaf.  I guess I was too young to question oatmeal in my meatloaf, because it seems to be an unlikely ingredient when I think about it now.  Had I been watching, I would have figured out my mom uses bread crumbs.  I am a great fan of finding ways to use leftover bread.  I like this meatloaf so much that I will have to continue to discover ways to use up that stale bread.  Anyway, this is my favorite meatloaf.  I hope it becomes yours too.  

Meatloaf

1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef (you could use ground turkey)

3/4 cup Quaker® Oats 

3/4 cup finely chopped onion 

1/2 cup catsup (tomato sauce or BBQ sauce works just as well, especially if you find a great coupon deal) 

1 egg, lightly beaten 

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon black pepper 

preparation

Heat oven to 350°F. Combine all ingredients in large bowl; mix lightly but thoroughly.

Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until meatloaf is done (160°F for beef, 170°F for turkey), until it is not pink in center and juices show no pink color. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.  


That is where my meatloaf recipe stopped.  I would sometimes spread some catsup on top and call it done.  A couple of years ago, I learned to put a sauce on the top (thanks Rita G.)  Twenty minutes before the meatloaf is done, drain the grease/liquid.


In a sauce pan put in 1 cup of ketchup mixed with 4T of brown sugar, 4T vinegar, 2T Worchestershire Sauce.  Bring to a boil.  Spoon over meatloaf and finish baking meatloaf.  Now it is finished.


Any extra sauce can be served on the side.
Enjoy!