Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Not your Mama's Meatloaf!!




I have a new family favorite...Meatloaf. It's been one of those dinners that was NEVER requested or oft repeated because, well...let's face it--it was OK...but not especially memorable or very appetizing. But I tried a new recipe for a freezer meal group I host, and it has become a quick favorite. In fact, it was just requested tonight--again. That will make 4+ requests for it in the last month. I knew I had found a hit when my mother was her visiting for a week and on the first night she asked what was for dinner. I casually replied, "Meatloaf." The look on her face said it all. She wasn't looking forward to it and was probably calculating in her head how much it would cost her to take the family out for dinner in exchange for not having to suffer through it. But I won. And the best perk--Grandma asked for the recipe. I made a huge pan of it and we had the most delicious sandwiches the next afternoon. I was a little perturbed to find an empty container left in the fridge when I went to make another sandwich. Phantom snackers are a common problem in my house. I hope this recipe puts a new twist on an old staple.

Amazing Meatloaf with Brown Sugar Glaze

4 eggs 3 cups milk 2 cups quick oats
2 tsp salt 4 lbs lean ground beef 4 cups shredded cheddar
1 finely chopped onion 2 1/2 c. ketchup 1 c. brown sugar 2 T mustard

Beat the eggs in a bowl and add the milk, oats and salt; let sit a few minutes to let liquid absorb. In another bowl, mix the ketchup, brown sugar and mustard and set aside. Add the beef, cheddar, and onion to the wet mixture. Blend well. (I actually put this in the bowl from my kitchen-aid and let the bread hook do all the work). Dump the meat into a 9x13 baking dish and smooth the top until its level. Pour the ketchup mixture across the top, evenly distributing the glaze. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. **I served it with new potatoes in a cream sauce, and long string beans. Baking it in cake pan allowed it to cook more evenly and distributed the glaze over more of the meat. It was the perfect size to slice for sandwiches the next day too. Enjoy.

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