Meatloaf recipes, anyone?
Eating has been a challenge, what with the oral surgery I recently had. Finding things that work has been sheer trial and error. Puréed soups work; oatmeal does not (too many little pieces). Jello works; ice cream does not (too cold). If you follow me on Facebook, you’ve already heard me mention fried eggs, which just kind of slither on down the throat without much effort at all. But second to that comes meatloaf, which DH bought ready-made at the market in part because he likes it but, yes, also because he thought it would satisfy me. It did. It was just soft enough, smooth enough, hearty enough. Was? Try is. I’ve been on a meatloaf kick all week.
My mouth is healing, and still I want meatloaf. Is this the latest, greatest comfort food? I remember eating it when I was growing up. Back then, ground beef was mixed with bread crumbs, peas, or spinach, then bound together by eggs or Campbell’s soup. When my kids were little, I made microwave meatloaf with ketchup and brown sugar on top. Flash forward to this week. DH brought home a turkey meatloaf that was 5-star – this rating coming from him as well as from me, and he usually resists ground turkey. Of course, I have no idea what else Whole Foods added to make it taste so good. I mean, really, I am so not able to identify ingredients in something that’s all mixed together.
But now I’m determined to get a meatloaf recipe into SWEET SALT AIR – which, if you recall, involves a food blogger. Can you help me out here? Do you have a favorite meatloaf recipe? It has to be simple – i.e., not too many ingredients but preferably something that includes an herb or two. What I’d really like for the book is one whose main ingredient is seafood. I’m not quite sure what the best binder would be – eggs and crushed Ritz crackers, maybe? But hey, if lobster mac ‘n cheese is hot in upscale restaurants, why not lobsterloaf? Salmonloaf? Clamloaf?
BTW, if you give me a recipe that fits the story, it’ll go into SWEET SALT AIR with your name. You know, so-and-so’s whatever loaf. Are you game? (Wrong word – game – but you get the idea.)
And hey, I haven’t forgotten about sex. I promised I’d blog about how I write sex scenes. And I will. I need to write one or two other scenes first, and get through the holidays, but right after the first of the year, I’m on it.
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Family Favorite Meatloaf
4 slices bread
milk
2lbs lean hamburger
3 beaten eggs
1 small onion chopped
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp sage
Tear bread into small pieces. Add enough milk to soak (try 1/4 c to start). Add remaining ingredients. Pat into a 9×13 pan. Top with: mix 4 Tbs brown sugar, 1/2 c catsup, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, and 2 tsp dry mustard. Bake 350 for 1 hr.
Yummmmm!
Ms Deilinsky,
My family went red meat free for a year and I made this Turkey Meatloaf during that time. You need 2 pounds of ground turkey, 1 pkg of Stove Top stuffing for Chicken, 2 eggs slightly beaten, 1 can of fat tree chicken broth, 1/2 cup each of diced celery and carrot, 1/4 cup of water. Combine all ingredients, shape into loaf, bake at 350 degrees for about an hour. Instead of ketchup, I would top with cranberry sauce that was room temp and very well stirred. I also would make turkey gravy to pour over it sometimes. My family loved it!
I’ve made several meatloafs in the years we’ve been married, but since the first time I made this one my husband only wants it. I sent it to a friend and they said that between the two of them they practically ate the whole meatloaf at one setting. It’s the best recipe I’ve found. I got it out of Country magazine years ago.
Mom’s Meatloaf
2 eggs
¾ cup milk
2/3 cup finely crushed saltines
½ cup chopped onion
1 tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Rubbed sage
Dash pepper
1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1-cup ketchup
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add milk, saltines, onion, salt, sage and pepper. Add beef and mix well. Shape into an 8-1/2 inchx4-1/2 in. loaf in an ungreased shallow baking pan. Combine remaining ingredients; spread over meat loaf. * Bake at 350 degrees for 60-65 minutes or until no pink remains; drain. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. yield: 6-8 serving
Hi Barbara,
Six months ago, one of the library aides at my local library recommended your books to me because she knows that I enjoy reading about families, friends and the interaction of those relationships. You have become one of my favorite authors, above Nora Roberts. (Shhh….Please don’t tell her, I wouldn’t want to hurt her feelings.) I love how your characters interact with each other and enjoy those little surprises that you create along the way. I’ve read all your books that my local library has and now I’m requesting the rest of your books through inter-library loans. Please continue to write the wonderful books that you do!
My family loves meatloaf and here is my tried and true recipe and one of their favorite dishes. I hope you and your family enjoys it as much as mine does.
Hope’s Meatloaf
2 pounds lean ground beef (1 pound ground turkey and 1 pound lean ground beef can be substituted)
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
1 cup bread crumbs-soaked in a small amount of milk
1 egg, well beaten
1/2 can tomato sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (I’m Cajun but if hot and spicy isn’t your preference this can be omitted)
Mix all ingredients, shape into a loaf and put into a Pam sprayed pan. Make a well in the center of the loaf.
Ingredients for well
1/2 can tomato sauce
2 tbsp yellow mustard
2 tbsp brown sugar (heaping)
2 tbsp white vinegar
Mix all ingredients well and place in center of well. Cover pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Enjoy!
Here is the recipe i use. It is a tasty, moist and healthy Salmon meatloaf recipe. Hope you enjoy it.
SALMON LOAF
Ingredients:
16 ounces salmon fillet
2 ounces smoked salmon
2 scallions , finely chopped (not the dark green parts)
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. pure olive oil or canola oil
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup plain or panko bread crumbs (I prefer plain)
2 large eggs
White or black pepper
salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Put the salmon in a food processor. Pulse about 5-7 times, then add the smoked salmon and pulse another 5 times. The end result should be with texture. Mix the salmon mixture with the finely chopped scallions, soy sauce, salt, pepper, minced garlic, eggs and bread crumbs.
Put the mixture into a lightly oiled loaf pan. lightly oil the top of the meatloaf also. Bake for about 30 minutes in 350 degree oven.
When you take it out wait for 10 minutes for it to set before you cut it.
Can be served with a sauce of choice, like a tartar sauce or a lemony sauce or even a spicy mayo sauce (like wasabi mayo sauce they have a t Trader Jo’s), or simply a wedge of lemon.
Enjoy!
Best,
Esther Nefesh
Our favorite Turkey Meatloaf:
2 lbs lean ground turkey
2/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 cup sweet onion
1/2 grated carrot
1/3 cup ketchup
salt & pepper
Piquant Sauce Topping:
1/2 cup ketchup
1 rounded teaspoon ground fresh nutmeg
1 Tbs. brown sugar
Saute onion and carrots until tender, let cool. Mix all other ingredients together and make 1 large or 6 mini loaves.
Top with piquant sauce and bake : 60-65 min. for large loaf, 25 minutes for mini loaves* @ 350.
* I hand form mini loaves into ovals and place on a broiling rack over a pan to cut out any grease that drips from loaves.
Remember to spray rack with cooking spray first.