Meatloaf!

[Sylvia]

My DH loves meatloaf. Over the years I've made a few good ones and a few bad, a few boat anchor heavy ones. Once I even made a 10lb one because hubby compained I never made enough for meatloaf sandwhiches. (He ate it for a week and never complained again. LOL )

Most of us know the basic recipe. Meat, seasoning, some sort of bread crumb, eggs, some catsup. (boat anchor) My ex husbands grandmother taught me to add a can of Campbells soup... she often used beef barley or chicken gumbo which seasoned and lightened the loaf.

Recently I've been adding vegetables and experiementing with other seasonings, and replacements for bread crumbs. On occasion I've used Ragu white sauce, Mushroom soup, catsup, canned tomatoes, pureed canned beans, shredded zucchini, rolled oats... you name it... I've probably put it in there at some point.

Last night I made one from 50/50 ground turkey/beef and added lipton onion instant soup, a single serving size of stove stop stuffing (one of those microwave bowls) and worchestershire sauce. It turned out to be a boat anchor... but it did taste good.

My question is what ingredients have you tried and which worked well and which not so much?

[marshhen]

I had eaten meatloaf many times but never made one until I found a Rachael Ray recipe that is awesome.. Cheeseburger Meatloaf!
You put Cheeder cheese chunks and the sweet pickles in it and it is yummy..
I dont have the recipe with me at the moment but I am sure you can find it on rachael rays website under cheeseburger meatloaf.. Let me know if you cant and When I get home I will pull it and post it! My family loves this one!

[Sylvia]

Originally Posted by marshhen

I had eaten meatloaf many times but never made one until I found a Rachael Ray recipe that is awesome.. Cheeseburger Meatloaf!
You put Cheeder cheese chunks and the sweet pickles in it and it is yummy..
I dont have the recipe with me at the moment but I am sure you can find it on rachael rays website under cheeseburger meatloaf.. Let me know if you cant and When I get home I will pull it and post it! My family loves this one!

That does sound interesting, I'll look!

[nurse397]

My favorite additions to the normal items(onions, garlic powder, salt, pepper, eggs, etc) Are ground Ritz crackers (instead of bread crumbs), Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce, and brown sugar. You can substitue any type of BBQ that's got a tangy taste, don't go for the sweet ones and it's too sweet then. Then I put cheese of the top of for the last 5 min of baking.
My family loves this one. Not a boat anchor..lol

[Sylvia]

Originally Posted by nurse397

My favorite additions to the normal items(onions, garlic powder, salt, pepper, eggs, etc) Are ground Ritz crackers (instead of bread crumbs), Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce, and brown sugar. You can substitue any type of BBQ that's got a tangy taste, don't go for the sweet ones and it's too sweet then. Then I put cheese of the top of for the last 5 min of baking.
My family loves this one. Not a boat anchor..lol

There are times when a boat anchor is ok... they are dense and slice easily when cold but most times it's too dense for me. LOL

I like the BBQ sauce idea, have lots of that from the kraft deal back in May.

[californiashopper]

Here is my family's favorite:

1 egg, lightly beaten
1 can (10 1/2 oz.) condensed French onion soup, undiluted
1 1/3 cups crushed butter-flavored crackers [about 33 crackers] (I use Club crackers)
1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed golden mushroom soup, undiluted

Combine first four ingredients. Shape into a loaf and put into a 10 x 13 pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30 minutes. Pour mushroom soup over loaf. Bake 1 hour longer (160 on meat thermometer). Drain. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

[almadee]

U have to go to the foodnetwork site and get the Tyler Florence"ultimate meatloaf recipe" it's actually called "dad's meatloaf with tomato relish" I'm not big on a tomato or catsup based meatloaf but even I enjoyed this one, it's my dh's favorite now. give it a try, i think you'll find that it's a keeper.

[CMUGRAD]

I mix in pork sausage with mine...1 pound or so, depending on how much you are making.

I've also mixed in the thawed western style hashbrowns...the ones with the cubed potatoes and peppers and onion in it.....

I've added Lipton soup mix, A1 Steak sauce and mushrooms in one before....

Mine usually depend on what I have in the cupboard or freezer at the time....

[NCshopper]

I like to use crushed Cheese Its or spanish rice for a binder in mine & add a can of chopped green chilis (Old El Paso). We like using ground turkey more than ground beef. I never cook mine in the oven. I microwave it.

[Sylvia]

Originally Posted by NCshopper

I like to use crushed Cheese Its or spanish rice for a binder in mine & add a can of chopped green chilis (Old El Paso). We like using ground turkey more than ground beef. I never cook mine in the oven. I microwave it.

Really? Now I've never even thought of microwaving a meatloaf. How long does it take to cook say a 2lb meatloaf in the micro? Do you cover it?

I've used rice and salsa before which is sort of similar to your spanish rice and green chilis. Only trouble is I'm supposed to stay away from rice now that I have diabetes ( and bread, crackers, noodles, potatoes )