A meal of meatloaf, mashed potatoes and the obligatory green vegetable is pure heaven. You just need the right recipe. Mix it up and bake it on Sunday, then serve it for Monday night’s supper. Keep it easy. The Pepperidge Farm classic stuffing mix with the blue label works perfectly for this recipe. It’s the Favorite Meatloaf!
The best ground beef for meatloaf is neither the leanest nor the fattest. Since most supermarkets offer a choice these days, look for ground beef that is marked 80 to 85 percent lean.
Description
Our favorite meatloaf recipe is the easy, never-fail dinner for any night.
Ingredients
- 1 to 1-1/4 pounds ground beef (see Note, below)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
- 14-1/2 ounce can whole tomatoes, drained, mashed and drained again (drink the juice)
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons catsup
- 3/4 cup Pepperidge Farm Seasoned Herb Stuffing Mix (blue label) OR 1 cup soft breadcrumbs (see Note below)
- 1/8 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce
- 2 or 3 strips uncooked bacon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Put all ingredients except the tomato sauce and bacon in a large bowl. Take your rings off and mix everything with your hands until thoroughly combined.
- Scoop up the meat mixture and form it with your hands until you have an oblong loaf that will fit easily into a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Don’t pack the mixture into the pan. Pour the tomato sauce evenly over the meatloaf, and cover it with the bacon slices.
- Bake in preheated 350°F oven for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Makes 4 generous servings.
Notes
The best ground beef for meatloaf is neither the leanest nor the fattest. Since most supermarkets offer a choice these days, look for ground beef that is marked 80 to 85 percent lean.
