Hubby's Favorite Meatloaf Recipe

As part of Becky's Cooking Lessons series, here's my husband's favorite meatloaf recipe.  It also uses ingredients from my garden...


Since there's just two of us, this recipe makes about 3 servings, depending on how much you like to eat. I cook this in a 4x6" glass pan in the toaster oven.

Double the ingredients for more servings.

Ingredients

Summer Squash

• 1-2 cups grated summer squash* (optional)
• 2 T ketchup
• 2 T brown sugar
• 1 tsp cider vinegar
• 2 T chopped onions
• 1/2 small garlic clove, minced
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire
• 3/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
• Dash of pepper (a few grinds on a pepper mill)
• 1/2 lb ground beef (1 lb if not using squash)
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (~3 T if not using squash)
• 3 T fresh parsley*

* from the garden - squash is prolific, you'll need lots of uses for it.

Don't let the number of ingredients scare you.  If you don't have some of them, just substitute (see below).

Directions 

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F
2. If using squash, squeeze out as much moisture as you can with your hands, or press in a sieve.  It's ok if there is still some moisture. Use up to the same amount of squash (or less) as you have meat.
3. If you want a saucy topping on your loaf, combine ketchup, brown sugar, and vinegar in a bowl and set aside.    
4. If you don't like washing dishes, do what I do: put everything into a bowl and mix.  For the really lazy: skip the bowl and go straight for the baking dish.
5. Put meat mixture into a loaf pan or small casserole baking dish. (Meatloaf should be 2-3" thick.  If it's thinner, use a smaller dish or cook less time).
6. If using a sauce, spread it over the meat mixture.
7. Bake in oven for 20 minutes.  Check to see if meat is cooked.  Drain away any excess moisture by tilting liquid out of pan while keeping meatloaf in pan with a spatula.
8. Bake 10 more minutes (if needed).  If doubling the ingredients, cook even longer if needed.
9. Drain off any more excess liquid.  Serve hot.

Substitutions

• Regular vinegar for cider vinegar
• Regular mustard for Dijon
• Saltine cracker crumbs for breadcrumbs
• You can leave out the Worcestershire or parsley, and it'll still be ok.

Have fun storming the kitchen!