Basic Meat Loaf - Comfort Food

Hi,

I'm sorry that it has been so long since I've posted any new recipes. I decided to take some online courses and the two classes have been distracting me from my recipe blogging. But I finished my one course and got a 94 on the final. Not too bad... K requested a meat loaf recipe and I did end up giving her one over the phone, but I thought because meat loaf is such a great comfort food and very good for left overs, my recipe blog would be lacking without it.

If you make the whole recipe with 2 pounds of ground meat you can bake half shaped into a loaf and take the other half and shape them into meat balls. Then bake both in the oven. The meat balls will take about half the time as the meat loaf. Bake the meat loaf in a pyrex baking dish and bake the meatballs on a rimmed baking pan. You can also just make one big meat loaf and it will heat up great for leftovers or for meat loaf sandwiches.

1/2 cup plain bread crumbs, fresh if possible
1/2 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Soak the bread crumbs in milk.

2 pounds ground meats (I usually just use beef, but you can also make a mixture with lamb or pork)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
2 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried sage leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper
1 onion finely chopped
1 small carrot finely chopped (this is optional, I usually don't do this, but more veggies are always good)

Mix the above ingredients together. Add the soaked bread crumbs. Mix thoroughly. Shape the mixture into 1 large loaf or 1 small loaf and a pan of meatballs. The meat loaf will take 1 hour and 15 minutes and the meat balls will take about 30 minutes. The meat loaf will be done when no longer red in the center.

And don't forget to make meat loaf sandwiches! They are one of my favorites with a little dijon mustard and some arugula. Enjoy and receive hugs and warm thoughts from home because you know that meatloaf is comfort food.

Hugs,
Mameekosan