M is for Meatloaf.

Okay, I've never been a Meatloaf fan. I've really almost been a meatloaf hata'. But, I've changed my tune thanks to the PW's recipe. On my cutie-patootie friend Morgan's blog. she talked about meatloaf a couple days ago and it gave me a hankering. (I feel like with meatloaf you would have a hankering, rather than a craving.) Today has been a yucky, dreary, rainy day and it was just screaming for comfort food ... And you can't get more comfort food-ish than meatloaf. I'm well versed in comfort food, ya know ... I barely even believe in salads. I figure you only get high metabolism for so long- Might as well milk it for all it's worth.
And really and truly, this one isn't even all that unhealthy. Especially if you want to substitute the Ground Turkey for ground beef. Then it's practically a salad .... With bacon ... And tomato "gravy." :)
Speaking of tomato gravy, it calls for brown sugar and do you know the trick with that? Mine is always clumping up and I saw somewhere to pop it in the microwave for a minute and it would soften up. But, do me a favor and don't tell my sister that I was A. using my microwave or especially B. Heating plastic wrap (the bag) in the microwave or really C. Eating meatloaf. But then again the great thing about sisters is they can't break up with you, no matter what. So go ahead and tell her. But be careful, she's way nauseated and preggers and the word meatloaf could do her in.

But, hopefully it will sound good to you!

Here's the recipe, should you care to try it ...

Ingredients:
1 cup of milk
6 white bread slices
2 lbs ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
Fresh ground blk pepper
1/4 to 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley
4 eggs, beaten
8 to 12 thin bacon slices

Tomato Gravy
1.5 cups ketchup
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tsp dry mustard
Dash or two of hot sauce
* I also added about 1/4 cup of beer into the gravy ... Mainly because I'm try to get them out of my fridge ... But it turned out yummy!

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Pour the milk over the bread and allow it to soak several minutes.
3. Place the ground beef, milky bread, Parmesan Cheese, salt, seasoned salt, pepper, and parsley in a large mixing bowl.
Pour in the eggs.
4. With clean hands, mix the ingredients until well combined.
5. Form the mixture into a "loaf" (for some reason that tickles me, anyone else??) shape it onto a foil-lined broiler pan, which will allow the fat from the meat to drain. (I told you this was healthy!) ;)
6. Lay bacon slices over the top, tucking them underneath the meatloaf (well, kinda healthy)
7. Next, make the tomato gravy:
Pour the ketchup into a small mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar and dry mustard, and splash in the hot sauce (I gotta little crazy with the hot sauce so I added a little more brown sugar and some Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce)
8. Stir the mixture until well combined.
9. Pour one-third of the tomato gravy over the top of the meatloaf.
10. Bake for 45 min, then pour another one-third of the remaining tomato gravy over the meatloaf and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
11. Serve the remaining one-third as a dipping sauce on the side.






I served it with green beans and mashed potatoes. It was a hit in the Boonies! :)






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