Meatloaf With Flavor

Meatloaf does not have to rely on Catsup for flavor.  It should be more than an 8x4x4.5 hamburger with a lot of breadcrumbs.  Just give it a little time and a few ingredients and you’ll be looking forward to the meal.  You’ll love it hot, cold, fresh, as a leftover meal or as a sandwich.  Make it once and have it several times.

Feel free to make some changes, especially using those small quantity leftover vegetables while they’re still good.  For instance, you can use cracker crumbs from a box or make your own by crushing crackers you like or use a green pepper instead of a red or yellow.  It’s your meatloaf, make it your way.

Ingredients:

·   3 Tbl       Oil (Peanut will give it a more Southern flavor and different heating temperature but I use Olive or Vegetable most of the time.  They are always around and cheaper)

·   1 small    Onion, chopped

·   2 ribs      Celery (Use less if you want or augment with dried celery leaves or seads)

·   3 cloves  Garlic, minced

·   1 small    Yellow pepper, diced ( I like the yellow or red for taste and color and have used half of each.  Green is fine also, and normally less expensive)

·   ½ cup     Green onions, chopped

·   1 Tbl       Basil, fresh and minced.  You can substituted 1 tsp of dried basil

·   ¼ tsp      Red pepper, crushed

·   1 1/3 lb   Meatloaf mix (that is a combination of ground beef, veal, and pork.  You can also use whatever ground meat you like but I wouldn’t suggest anything with greater than a 20% fat content)

·   1 1/3 tsp Cajun seasoning (you can buy it or make it.  There are several recipe’s  and I will go through some ideas at a later time)

·   ¼ tsp      Tabasco sauce

·   1 Tbl       Worcestershire sauce

·   2 large    Eggs

·   ½ cup     Cornflakes

·   ½ cup     cracker crumbs

·   ¼ cup     Bread crumbs, seasoned

·   ¼ cup     Catsup

·   ¼ cup     Chili sauce

·   2 slices    Bread

Directions:

1.            Prepare the onion, celery, garlic pepper, and green onions and place in a small bowl.

2.            Put the meat in a large bowl and season with the Cajun seasoning, Tabasco sauce, and Worcestershire sauce..

3.            Crack the eggs, one at a time, into a small bowl.  This will help you determine if they are still good as well as fish out the errant egg shells.  Then beat them.

4.            Add the eggs, cornflakes, cracker crumbs, bread crumbs, catsup, and chili  sauce to the meat and set aside.

5.            Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat until hot

6.            Add the oil.  If you are using Peanut oil it will start to smoke when ready.  Other oils will take 30 seconds or so

7.            Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

8.            Add the onion mixture from #1 and cook for about 4 minutes

9.            Add the basil and red pepper and cook for another minute

10.        Take the skillet off the heat and set aside for a while, letting it cool just a bit.

11.        Add the cooked vegetables to the meat and have fun mixing everything together with your hands.

12.        Put a slice or two of bread in the bottom of a loaf pan and then form the meat on top of the bread.

13.        Bake for 40 minutes and check.  This should be enough time but I always check.

14.        Put the meatloaf on a plate, leaving the bread slices either in the loaf pan or garbage.  Better yet, give the bread to the birds.

15.        Let the meatloaf cool for a bout 10 minutes and then cut into ½ to 1 inch slices for serving.