Meatloaf 4
From: Katherine Condliffe
My meatloaf won't satisfy everyone, but if you prefer a loaf that's not cooked in a loaf pan, mine is pretty good--it's my mother's recipe.
Amounts are all very approximate--feel free to tinker with it or vary the ingredients.
1 lb ground beef
2-3 slices stale bread made into breadcrumbs
1 onion
1 egg
2 tbs catsup
whatever herbs you like--I vary it according to how I feel, but oregano, basil, marjoram, etc. are all good.
pepper
salt
garlic (lots of it)
I use a blender or food processor and first make the breadcrumbs, then put the ground beef and breadcrumbs on my baking pan and mix them lightly.
Then chop the onion, egg, catsup and herbs &garlic together in the food processor (my mother did this because we picked out the pieces of onion and this made it seem as if there was no onion in it) and pour over the meat/breadcrumb mixture and mix together. I use my hands and I don't think anything else works as well.
Pat into a mound and bake at 375 for about an hour. Mom always put quartered potatos around it and roasted them with the meatloaf. Turn the potatos half way through so they get crusty on all sides. The meatloaf is done when the potatos are done.
You can add all kinds of things. Peppers are good, some grated cheese is good. Some bacon strips over the top are good, spread a little catsup over the top if you like, you can substitute tomato paste or tomato sauce for the catsup, add a little wine to the mixture.
This can be stretched if you're poor or have extra people and not enough meat by adding more breadcrumbs (but not too much more) or you can add some TVP to strech it also.