How to Make Meat Loaf

One of our most widely requested recipes is for meat loaf. No wonder - as Francis Albert Sinatra knew all too well, you can't go wrong with a standard. Finally, here it is. Serves eight.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Groceries
• Food Processors
• Loaf Pans
• Mixing Bowls
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 c. freshly made bread crumbs
• butter (for greasing loaf pan)
• 1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
• 2 lightly beaten eggs
• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 3/4 c. milk
• 1 finely chopped onion
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Butter a loaf pan and set aside.
3. Combine bread crumbs, onion, eggs, beef, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, salt, ground pepper and milk in a large bowl. Use your hands to mix the ingredients together well.
4. Pat mixture into the loaf pan and bake 45 minutes.

Tips & Warnings

• To make bread crumbs, cut the crusts off some white bread, then process in a food processor. That's it. (And they really are much better when you make them, as opposed to buying them in a can.)
• For meat loaf with parsley and tomato, omit the Worcestershire sauce and mustard. Instead of milk, add 3/4 c. tomato juice and 1/4 c. minced parsley plus 1/2 tsp. crumbled basil. Cover with 3/4 c. tomato sauce and bake as directed.
• If you like cheese in your meat loaf, try omitting the Worcestershire sauce and adding 1/2 c. grated cheese instead.
• Bacon tastes great in meat loaf. If you'd like to add it, place four strips of uncooked bacon over the top of the loaf after you've patted it into the pan. Bake as directed.
• Meat loaf, as everyone knows, makes fabulous sandwiches the next day.