Meat Loaf Photo by Janet Moore

Humble though it may be, meat loaf is a regular item on our dining-room table mid-week. We will often serve it topped with sautéed balsamic mushrooms and a side of garlic mashed potatoes. Add a vegetable and dinner is done in no time. Even better, left-over meat loaf makes a spectacular sandwich the next day when lunchtime rolls around!

Ingredients

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1/2 large cooking onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup panko bread grumbs
• 1 T garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup ketchup (or BBQ sauce)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F

1. Mix all of the ingredients (except the ketchup) together. Although it’s kind of squishy, getting your hands right in there and massaging the mixture until it’s thoroughly blended is probably the best way to get the job done!
2. Place the meat mixture in an appropriately sized bread pan and press along the top to form a shallow dent that runs from end to end.
3. Fill this shallow dent up with the ketchup, spreading the ketchup evenly over the top of the loaf.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes or until done.
5. Meat loaf is done when a meat thermometer inserted into the middle of the loaf reaches 160 F