Oops!

Meatloaf is the ultimate comfort food.  How could you not love a loaf made of meat?

I've made many different meatloaves, I've tired them all.  Ones made with all beef, ones with veggies inside, ones made from three different kinds of meat (very common for meatloaves,) glazes on top, etc. I've come to the conclusion, I'm not trying new meatloaf recipes anymore.  I know what my family likes and I'm sticking to what we like.  My meat ratio is 2:1.  Two pounds of beef to one pound of pork.

Below is my basic recipe.  When I make meatloaf I don't measure the ingredients.  I just know what the right amount is and what it's suppose to look like, so be warned all the measurements listed below are guesstimates, but they should be close enough.  :)

The goods:

Abbey's Meatloaf
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 1 Hour
Serves: A lot (6-8?)

2 lbs Ground Beef
1 Package Pork Sausage (12-16oz)
2 eggs
1/2 Cup Breadcrumbs
1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp Garlic powder
1 Tbsp Onion powder
1/4 Cup Dried Chopped onion

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Set a baking rack inside a baking sheet tray.

3.  But first cover the baking rack with foil, then place it inside the sheet tray.

4.  Poke holes through the foil to allow the fat to drain while the meatloaf is cooking.  (I grew up with meatloaves cooked in glass loaf pans.  That method makes for a soggy, fatty, meat loaf.)

5.  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Form into a loaf on the foil.

6.  Bake for 1 hour or until the internal temperature is 160 degrees.

7.  Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.  Serve as is or my favorite way, with a side of ketchup

Battlestar Meatloaftica (as Jon calls my meatloaves) is ready to eat.

I served my meatloaf with sauteed green beans and Trader Joe's rice orzo and pilaf mix.  (Basically Rice-A-Roni but with WAY less sodium.)  I really wanted to make mashed potatoes, The Pioneer Woman has the BEST mashed potato recipe, but Trader Joe's was out of Yukon Gold potatoes and I refuse to pay $5.99 for a 5 pound bag at Safeway or QFC.  That recipe will just have to wait for another day.

Mmmm, dinner.

Please make sure you use dried onions, fresh onions have too much moisture in them.  The meatloaf won't stay together as it cooks and the moisture is released from the onions.

So the best part of the meal?  As we were eating dinner I realized that this isn't the recipe I use anymore.  I typically add two envelopes of Lipton French Onion Soup mix.  And don't add the Parmesan cheese.  While this meatloaf was good, the soup mix makes it way better.  I don't think I'll be making that mistake again.  But, hey, we're all human, right?

To make the meatloaf the right way, just add two envelopes of the soup mix to my list of ingredients and omit the Parmesan cheese and then prepare as listed above.  You won't be disappointed!

The correct list of ingredients

2 lbs Ground Beef
1 Package Pork Sausage (12-16oz)
2 eggs
2 Envelops Lipton French Onion soup mix
1/2 Cup Breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp Garlic powder
1 Tbsp Onion powder
1/4 Cup Dried Chopped onion