Meatloaf?

After reading the responses I have decided to make one tonight but instead of bread crumbs that I usually use, I'm going to try crushed cheez-its.

We use a mix of pork and ground beef, 2 eggs, garlic, onion, and the magic ingredient of grape nuts.

extra lean ground beef, fresh onion, fresh garlic, fresh celery, fresh bell pepper, fresh scallions, whole grain bread chunks, egg, Lea & Perrin's Worchestershire, Tony Chachere's.

Anyone who puts ketchup on their meatloaf at my house will be asked to leave the table.

I watch Diners Drive ins and Dives. They have some very interesting recipes.I don't care very much for meat loaf, but they (DDD) went to a BBQ place that smoked/BBQed their meat loaf and that lookled very interesting. They used a dry rub to flavor the inside and outside of the meat loaf.

They have two recipes for meat loaf that they find most popular: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/diners-drive-ins-and-d...

Hope you enjoy. Good luck to you and yours.

I love this recipe: (I always use Italian seasoned bread crumbs)

Meatloaf
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 egg
1 onion, chopped
1 cup milk
1 cup dried bread crumbs

salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1/3 cup ketchup

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine the beef, egg, onion, milk and bread OR cracker crumbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste and place in a lightly greased 5x9 inch loaf pan, OR form into a loaf and place in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. In a separate small bowl, combine the brown sugar, mustard and ketchup. Mix well and pour over the meatloaf.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour.

I change it up. I look at several recipes and tweak them to suit our taste.

Typically.... about a # of ground round or ground sirloin, 1 egg, 2 dollops of ketchup, 2 pieces of loaf bread in small pieces, chopped onion, a bit of chopped carrots, dry onion soup mix, 1/4 cup or a tad less of milk.

Mix it all up and I make baby loaves in the muffin pan. Depending on how large the cupcake pan is, I have about 6 or so nice sized meatloaf balls. The muffin pan works great because you can freeze the leftovers individually for another time. Sometimes I will make it in the regular cast iron loaf pan.

My Grandmother always used oatmeal in her meatloaf. It was tasty!

I probably use less meat than most people because we don't eat huge dinners and prefer not to have leftover. That is why the muffin pan works so well for us. One meatloaf can be 2-3 meals because we are not heavy dinner people. Daughter will come in from school and have one of the meatloaf balls with my homemade marinara sauce.

I serve with sauteed tomatoes, mushrooms and onions.

I use potato chips in place of crackers which is great for anyone on a gluten free diet.

I change it up all the time, but normally I use breadcrumbs. My families favorite is Lil Cheddar Loaves.... Super Yummy! Let me know if you want the recipe!!

my recipe (and i don't measure)

about a pound of ground beef
about 1/2 to 3/4 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs
1/3 can of tomato soup
pkg of onion soup mix

i mix it together with a hand mixer,top it with ketchup, then form it and bake at 35 for about and hour and 15 minutes.

sometimes i make a gravy to go with it, that is 1 can of double strength beef broth by campbells, heated to boiling, then add flour/water to thicken

I use ground buffalo (less fat but still tastes like beef). I add 1 egg, bread crumbs, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning (or just Basil and Oregano), Kechup, Worstishire (sp?) sauce, and sometimes parmesan cheese. Sometimes I put in celery or onion or put cheese on top. I think my mom uses tomato paste instead of kechup. I also saw someone put in cut up fresh bread instead of bread crumbs.

Ha! I NEVER use a recipe or make it the same way twice....

Start with 1 to 3 pounds of ground meat depending on how many I'm feeding-- beef, deer, pork or a mix depending on what I have. Open the refrigerator and freezer and see what veggies I have that might be good diced up and mixed in. ALWAYS onion and usually celery, but it's a great opportunity to use stuff up and sneak in extra veggies. Then I add some egg and milk. And check the spice cabinet. Always pepper and garlic salt, but sometimes I get creative. Italian seasoning can be REALLY good. Then off to the pantry to see what I have--it's USUALLY oatmeal, since Isaac inhales every cracker that comes through the house but sometimes it's crackers and one time I used crushed croutons (it was good). Then I decide how to bake it (my favorite is usually in muffin tins for minis-- they freeze AWESOME!) put in pans, top with ketchup and bake. I ALWAYS have either baked or scalloped potatoes and something green (usually green beans or a salad)

I think my favorite was made with pork, italian seasoning, spinach, mushrooms, and carrots, and i threw in some Parmesan Cheese too....

ha reading all the responses makes M. remember the 1st time i ordered meatloaf at a resteraunt and was expecing my dads being super juicy from the sauce and potatoes...and i got this brick of meat with kethup ...i actually lke it, but i won't call it meatloaf...to M. what i wrote below is=)

my family uses meat, an egg, breadcrumbs, celery, onions, some tomato sauce seasioning, makes the loaf with that then puts it in the middle of a roasting dish fills all around it with tomato sauce and seasoning, and the ltes it bake and then 25 minutes before its done adds quartered potatoes and they bakein it and turn orange from the sauce and taste soooo yummy!!

now i want meatloaf! oh and make corn on the side and mash it all up together it lucks disgusting but tastes sooo good! i ussually like my plate seperate and neat but this is one awesome dish to eat messy

SALTINE crackers (though I've tried with Ritz and it's good too, I still prefer just saltine crackers), dry onion soup mix, diced onions, a can of diced tomatoes, 1.5 lbs lean burger, and 1 egg. Mash it all up in a bowl with your hands, throw it in a pan in the shape of a "loaf" and bake at 375 for about 45 minutes. :) Sometimes I throw in 1/4-1/3 cup of ketsup for a little thicker tomato flavor.

Edit: I forgot the milk or water. Just enough so it's not too dry. I don't usually measure it.... about 1/3 cup probably.

I always use the recipe for Cottage meatloaf. It is so tangy and sweet. I bake it a few minutes so the grease can be drained off then the sauce put on or I make sure and use a good quality meatloaf pan so that the grease goes through the holes in the bottom.

I don't use the pepper flakes or any type of strong peppers.

Here's one link of many:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/cottage-meatloaf/detail.aspx

My favorite meatloaf is made with instant stuffing (Stovetop) rather than breadcrumbs. Here is one recipe:

Ingredients
•2 eggs
•1/2 cup water
•1 (6 ounce) package instant stuffing mix
•2 pounds ground beef
•Ketchup

Directions
1.In a large bowl, beat eggs and water. Add stuffing mix and contents of seasoning packet; mix well. Add beef; mix well. Press into an ungreased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pan. Top with ketchup. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours or until no pink remains and a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F.

I found the best recipe ever off of Allrecipes. It's called Mini Meatloaves, but I make it in a regular sized loaf pan and bake about an hour! My family loves it!!!! I double it and make 2 at the same time. After baking I let it cool and then wrap it well and freeze! Voila! a quick dinner on a busy weeknight - ready in a flash!!! It does have oats in it. My daughter LOVES the glaze on top. Try it - you will love it! The recipe was submitted by T. Swope. YUM!
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound ground beef
2/3 cup ketchup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard

quinoa! More protein, less carbs. And so yummy!

Ingredients

1 1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground Turkey
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped poblano pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup Bread crumbs (torn up pieces of bread)
(optional 1 cup,cubed american cheese, placed in the center of the meatloaf)

Topping:
1 Can Rotel tomatoes diced.

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix all meatloaf ingredients well and place in a baking dish. Shape into a loaf. Pour Rotel on top and bake for 1 hour.

I use bread crumbs too. I also mix in ragu spaghetti sauce (the veggie one)and pour some on top. Yummy!

I use this recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup cracker crumbs
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup finely chopped onion (i grate it)
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 egg, beaten

Preparation:
Mix all ingredients together gently. Form into a loaf and place in baking dish or loaf pan. Top with more ketchup if desired. Bake at 350° for about 1 hour.
Serves 4.

I add Worcestershire, Montreal steak seasoning, I do not top with ketchup and some times I put raw bacon on the top.

I make an Italian-ish meatloaf. I use a combination of bread crumbs and grated Parmesan (lots of flavor and decreases the need for salt). I also add minced garlic, scallions, oregano, basil, a dash of thyme, either fresh roma tomatoes or drained-ish diced canned tomatoes, and an egg. I usually make it with mashed garlic potatoes, and some sort of veg. Not the healthiest way to make meatloaf, but I would rather go with a smile than go thin.

1 1/2 lbs. hamburger
Lawry's Season Salt
Minced Garlic
Onion
Itallian bread crumbs
1 egg (beaten)
1/4 ketchup
Worcestershire
Oregano
Basil

I mix it up by hand and shape it into a loaf.

Topping:

1/4 c. ketchup
2 1/2 T. brown sugar
2 - 3 t. mustard

Mix up and pour over meatloaf

Bake 1 hr in 350 oven

crackers!
my uncle will only use seasoned bread crumbs.

I use oatmeal, a tiny bit of breadcrumbs, 1 egg, parsley, garlic & onion powder, salt & pepper, worchestershire sauce, chili sauce & a good squirt of mustard. I plop it in a loaf pan, top it with more chili sauce, cover with foil & bake for an hour. I always make homemade mashed potatoes & some type of veggie, usually broccoli.

I used to use bread and crumble it. But now I use panko breadcrumbs. It makes life so easy!

Also, try making your meatloaf and tossing 1-2 cans (jars) of brown gravy over it. Makes it so yummy. Works great over trukey meatloaf, too. No one will know it's turkey meat :)

We use oatmeal and bread here in the south! The only thing I require is the ketchup brown sugar mixture smeared all over the top! Must have that yummy, sticky, tomato taste in every bite!!

I've always used Italian breadcrumbs.

I have tried many recipes for meatloaf and have found they all taste the same for the most part. I use hamburger, an egg or so (depending on how much hamburger) throw in onions, green peppers, ketchup, mustard, cheese etc. I have never tried oatmeal instead of breadcrumbs. Oatmeal could add some good nutrition and act like the breadcrumbs to help the egg hold it all together LOL! The onion soup mix would be flavorful. I stay away from those mixes because of the MSG that is in most of them. I tried a big elaborate recipe that even had mayo in it...tasted he same as my toss it in method.