I'm going to gloss over the fact that I haven't posted at all in the last two months. There was a move (which is still in progress), job hunting (also still in progress), and heightened activity and stress at work. The combination of the three has been, shall we say, challenging. My physical, mental, emotional, and at times moral capacities have been tested. In times of great stress, food can often be a comfort; meat loaf is, in my opinion, the epitome of American comfort food. And when you have a good recipe, this meat-and-potatoes ordinary meal can turn into something quite tasty. Here's a recipe I have used and pass on to you.
What you'll need:
2 eggs
3/4 c. milk
2/3 c. dry bread crumbs
1/4 c. onion, finely chopped
2 Tbs. snipped fresh parsley
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 can cream of mushroom soup*
What you'll need to do:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs then add the milk and combine. Add the bread crumbs, onion, herbs, and salt and pepper. Stir together.
3. Add the ground meat and mix the contents of the bowl together well.
4. Put meat mixture into an 8x4x2-in loaf pan. Even out the top and pat down gently. Bake in oven for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes.
5. Spread 1/2 the mushroom soup on the top of the meatloaf; add more if you wish (and if the pan can hold it). Bake for another 10 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Cut into slices and serve with roasted potatoes.
*My mom used this on her meatloaf instead of ketchup, and I think the flavor is better. We were not big ketchup people except for hot dogs, hamburgers, and fries. Putting ketchup on meatloaf just seems...wrong.
