Age Old Comfort Food.... Meatloaf

Ah..... meatloaf.  Love it or hate it?  I happen to hate every meatloaf I have ever tried... except mine.  Funny thing about this age old comfort food..... this was a staple for dinners in the 1950's.  In fact it stayed that way well through the 70's before falling out of favor (probably had something do with those darn leg warmers and work out wear everyone was running around in in the 80's).  No seriously jokes aside.  My eight year old begged me for over a week to make meatloaf.  I don't know what took me a week..... it's so easy and quick.  It being filling and cheap doesn't hurt either.  Another plus is you probably have all the ingredients in your kitchen right now.  This recipe is a mix from my mother in laws recipe that my husband grew up on and my own twist.  We always have it with mashed potatoes and green beans, isn't that written somewhere in stone?  That you have to have green beans and mashed potatoes with meatloaf?  No?  Huh coulda sworn it was.....


Nancy's Meatloaf with A Twist of Sarah

Ingredients

1 pound of lean ground beef
1 cup of crushed saltine crackers
1 small onion chopped
1 egg beaten
1 8oz can of tomato sauce
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. garlic salt
salt and pepper
dried parsley
ketchup

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees.

In a large bowl using your hands.... mix ground beef with cracker crumbs, egg and onion.
Next add the onion powder, Worcestershire, and garlic salt.  Mix well with hands.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper ( how much is totally up to your preference) and parsley (again your preference as to how much). Add a small amount of Ketchup to the mix... about 1/4 a cup.

Add tomato sauce to the mixture a little at a time mixing up with your hands as you do this.  Now if you feel like it has a good consistency and you haven't' used the whole can than that is fine.  I just do it until it feels right.  It should be clumpy together.. but moist not dry.

Place in a standard loaf pan.  Press down until it is flattened and even in the pan (but do not smash it too much) just enough until the pan is filled.  Brush the top with a good layer of ketchup.

Bake in the oven for 45 min.  Serve with mashed potatoes and green beans.  Keep the ketchup handy for additional dipping... as the byrd family does!