MEAT LOAF

By á-171101

Ingredients

• 2 Pounds Ground Sirloin Beef for leanest; OR 1 Pound Ground Sirloin and 1 Pound Ground Round
• 1 Medium/Large Onion, Diced
• 1 Green Bell Pepper, Diced
• Celery, Finely Diced {Optional}. I use if I have it. I try to use the inside hearts and use the leaf too but
• dice it very thin as it has to cook when the meat cooks.
• 1 to 2 Eggs, Beaten {I use 1 egg, mix and then decide if a second egg is needed—the egg and rice are
• what holds the meatloaf together---but you do not want to over-do the rice}
• Rice {Cooked-Minute Rice is fine} --- would guess around 3/4 cup for each pound of meat, +/- Make a
• couple of cups of rice—then if you need to add a little you have it.
• Ketchup [enough for flavor-don’t thin out the mixture to much-but you want enough for the flavor]
• This is the last thing before baking]
• 1 to 2 Cans Tomato Sauce, 15.0 Oz size
• 1 Can Diced Tomatoes or Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes, 15.0 Oz size
• [fire roasted is more expensive—I use if can – as they have a better flavor]
• otherwise just buy the regular diced tomatoes]
• Salt and Pepper {to taste}
• Dash of Garlic Power {Optional}
• Cheddar Cheese, Grated, {Optional}

Preparation

Step 1

1. Prepare the Instant Rice in accordance with the instructions on the box. Set aside to cool OR this
is a good item to have done the day before and placed in baggies/refrigerated. If done the
day before, take out of the refrigerator and place on cabinet to take the chill off the rice.

2. If the Green Bell Peppers were chopped the day before, remove from refrigerator and place on
Cabinet. Same for the Celery {if using} and if you did your Onion and refrigerated it.

3. Whatever items listed in step 2 that were NOT done the day before and refrigerated - then Chop
and place in a bowl. It is okay to use the same bowl for the green bell peppers, onions
and/or celery.

4. Set on cabinet the Eggs, Ketchup, cans of Tomato Sauce and Diced Tomatoes, Salt, Pepper and
Garlic Power {Not Garlic Salt} – this way it is handy. Have a clean kitchen towel or
paper towels out --- your hands will get messy and you will need to wash them a few
times while mixing the meat and ingredients together.

5. Turn Oven on to 350 Degrees

Meat Loaf
Barbara A. Fife
817-925-4900
Page 2


6. In a large mixing bowl, mix the meat with your hands – thoroughly. Mix in a little Salt and
Pepper. Then Pour on top of the meat, the Diced Bell Peppers, Onions and Celery
(Optional). Mix thoroughly. Add the well-beaten Eggs and mix thoroughly. Add the
Rice – SLOWLY and mix thoroughly as your go, so that you can judge the amount. You
can start with a cup and then go from there—probably need about 2 cups [best guess].

7. Add Ketsup – start with about 1 cup and mix thoroughly --- then add more as needed; don’t
Thin out your mixture.

8. Place the meat mixture in the baking pan. If you have a big pan, you can shape it in the
form of a “loaf” OR you can just put it in a pan and bake it -- rectangle pan and bake
it then cut to serve. Your Pan Needs To Have Some Dept To It!

9. Place in the pre-heated oven. Check at 45 Minutes --- typically will take about 1 hour +/1
Depending upon the thickness of the meat, the individual oven, etc. When it is done
And gets lightly brown on top. Remove from the Oven – CAREFULLY and
CAREFULLY DRAIN the hot juice off...The Meat Will Slide forward, so you have to
Be extremely careful doing this. I suggest having a large pan in you sink to drain in
{I sometimes use an empty large Crisco shortening container, etc.} You do not want
To use your disposal as this can stop it up as it will have a lot of grease in it!

10. After draining, you want to open 1 Can of Tomato Sauce and pour over the top. Judge if you
Need the 2nd Can of Tomato Sauce or Not.

11. Open the Diced Tomatoes and DRAIN the juice off – then pour on top of the Tomato Sauce.

12. Place the meat loaf back into the oven and let the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes cook
{probably 10 minutes --- you want it to be bubbly hot}.

13. If you are going to use Cheddar Cheese, I suggest that you do that on individual servings before
Serving {may need to stick in microwave to melt}. OR if you want to put the cheese on
Top of the entire meat loaf, put the cheese on top and it should melt on its own as the
Meat loaf is still hot from the oven. That is what Betty does. I do not do that as you
cannot cut and serve the meatloaf with the hot cheese and keep it looking nice.

14. Cool any leftovers and place in refrigerator. Microwave to warm up individual servings, as
Re-warming in the oven will dry out the meat.



NOTES:

1. You can make the Rice the day before. Cool, place in baggie and refrigerate. If you cook the
day before and refrigerate, when you are ready to make the meat loaf, take the rice out of the
refrigerator and place on your cabinet – to take the chill off it. It is much easier if you do the
rice in advance – as working with hot rice can burn your hands as you try to mix it into the
meat– I always try to prepare the rice the day before.

2. You can chop the Green Bell Pepper the day before, place in baggie and refrigerate. I try to do
This as it saves some chopping time.

3. You can chop the Celery, if you are going to use it—if you don’t have it, don’t worry—it just adds
another level of flavor. If chopping the day before, place in baggie and refrigerate.

4. I do not chop my onion the day before and refrigerate. I do not like the onion smell in my
refrigerator and I have tried double bagging, etc. Aunt Ruth says it will work if you place the
chopped onion in double baggie, then wrap the baggies in clear plastic wrap, then with foil. I
just always do the onion when I am making the meat loaf.

5. If you are using Cheddar Cheese to melt on top one the meat loaf is finished cooking, you need to have
it grated if you did not buy it pre-graded – large grated size will be best.

6. If your mixture makes too much for your family --- freeze part of it in a pan that you will want to cook
it in that is freezer/oven safe. Do Not put the tomato sauce, etc on it --- just freeze the meat
mixture with the onions, rice, eggs, etc......Be sure to cover well or it will get freezer burned.Then when ready [say 2 weeks later—not much more] set in refrigerator and thaw – then place in the oven and bake---then add the toppings. If you have frozen it, you might want to Finely Chop a
little fresh onion and mash into the top of the meat loaf—not many; just enough to enhance the freshness of it. I never freeze any, so adding onion is just a thought. Another option might be, if you had the items in your refrigerator would be to sautee some finely chopped onions, with
bell pepper and celery in just a extremely small amount of butter or olive oil and add this into your tomato sauce when you put it on top of the meat – not much and it might not be worth the effort. Make sure the mixture is totally defrosted before you place in a COLD oven to cook {Do not preheat the oven when you are taking something from the refrigerator to the oven --- Put in Cold Oven – turn to 250 Degrees to take the chill off the pan/meat --- then turn up to 350 Degrees and follow same directions for cooking as if you just made the meat mixture.

Betty makes the best meatloaf in the family---but I have added/modified her recipe slightly and it comes out pretty well. I typically am usually making for a large group and start with 4 or 5 pounds of meat. You will need to gauge your quantities of ingredients based upon the quantity of meat you are using.

It is a family favorite --- ENJOY! Serve with Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Corn, Salad and Rolls...you will have a great “comfort” meal.---Aunt Barbara Ann {October 10, 2011}.