Tag Archives: meatloaf

Hot and Homey Meatloaf

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Now that we’re getting in to the thick of cold winter nights, (the forecast said 10 degrees tomorrow night. What?!), I’m really  getting in to the thick of hot, homey, comfort food. And nothing says hot and homey (that’s homey, not horny, people…get your minds out of the gutter) like meatloaf with red sauce.

I got this classic recipe from the back of a box. For those of you who don’t know about Lipton’s Onion Mix, trust me, you need it in your life. Consider it a hand-me-down. My mom told me about it, now I’m telling you.

  • 1 package of Lipton Onion Mix
  • 2 lbs. of ground beef (seeing there’s only two of us, I tend to only buy a pound. It comes out just as tasty.)
  • 3/4 cup bread crumbs
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 water
  • 1/3 cup Heinz ketchup (ok, you caught me. The recipe doesn’t call for the Heinz brand per say, but we’re from Pittsburgh. Gotta rep it.)

Now listen closely – preheat the oven to 350 degrees, mix all ingredients together, and shape it in a baking pan (I give you license to get creative with your meatloaf shapes). After an hour, you’re done. Not only do you get a delicious meal, it also makes your home smell just like mom’s cooking.

Something to note: my husband hates ketchup (you can read about it here) so I tend to leave it out. But, the recipe can work with or without it.

For a different spin on meatloaf, be sure to check out our turkey meatloaf!

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Happy Eating, XO

Turkey Meatloaf

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What a bad rep meatloaf has. Often referred to as: cafeteria cuisine or diner drab, meatloaf is known as dry & un-flavorful. Plus if you take away the fat of pork or beef, you are setting yourself up for failure. FALSE! The old myth that only fat=flavor is debunked with this recipe. Not only is this meatloaf delish, its a great example of comfort food done right.

  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1.5 cups of mirepoix mix (you can chop your own or buy the pre chopped stuff. Its just diced celery, carrots, and onions so don’t be fooled by the fancy French name. Note it can be equal parts of each or adjusted based on what you like. I personally decrease the carrots and increase the onions, but to each his own).
  • 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce (I lied its actually a total of 2 tbsp. 1 will go in the dish and 1 will be used as a glaze: see cooking instructions below).
  • 1 tbsp. bbq sauce (any brand of the bottled stuff, don’t need home made on this one).
  • 1 tbsp. ketchup
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup bread crumbs (I do the Italian seasoned ones, but if you have plain lying around don’t sweat it).
  • 2 tbsp. minced garlic (keep a jar of this in your fridge, upwards of 5 recipes on the blog use it).
  • Salt & Pepper to taste (I add a few pinches of red chili flakes too, but I love spicy).

In a non stick pan, sautee the mirepoix, olive oil, salt pepper, garlic, and chili flakes. Once the veggies are softened (and cooled! don’t add hot, straight from pan. you will end up cooking the egg versus using it as a binder) add to the meat, along with the egg, sauces, and breadcrumbs. Mix well. Pour in meatloaf pan and take the same portions of the sauce (1 tbsp. worcestershire, 1 tbsp. bbq, and 1 tbsp. ketchup, mix and pour glaze on top of the meatloaf (I spread it with the back of  a spoon to coat evenly. Trust me on this, not only does it hold in the moisture, but it adds a great crust of flavor since the sugars will caramelize when baking). Throw into a pre heated oven at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes based on how deep your loaf pan is. Comment below if this hasn’t changed your mind about meatloaf. Note, I served with the pantry gravy (recipe under sauce boss) when my dad came over for dinner. Also note, word on the street is there is a great variation on this using dry French onion soup mix, stay tuned for more on that.

Happy Eating, XO.