Meatloaf

This is one of my very favorite recipes. I’ve probably made it 1000 times over the years. My mom found it on the lid of a Quaker oats canister. It’s healthy, if you use lean ground beef. It is incredible left-over. It also freezes really well so you can make it on Sunday and pop it in the freezer for Thursday night. Just thaw completely before baking.

Meatloaf

• 1 C tomato juice
• 3/4 C oats
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 t salt
• 1/4 t pepper
• 1.5 pounds ground beef
• Ketchup (optional)

Mix all ingredients (try not to overmix). Put in a loaf plan (I always use pyrex) and bake at 350 for one hour. If you like your meatloaf with “sauce,” squirt some ketchup on the top for the last 20-30 minutes of baking. My hubs likes his served with more ketchup on the side.

Meaty Pasta Sauce

I put this together in 10 minutes for dinner last night. Then popped it in the oven while I ran over to the French Loaf to get some nice bread. Big hit.

Meaty Pasta Sauce

• 1 Cup Marinara sauce*
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1 slice bacon, chopped into small pieces
• 1 sprig rosemary, chopped finely

Preheat oven to 350. Brown beef and bacon in an oven safe sauce pan until beef is no longer pink. Drain. Add marinara sauce and rosemary. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Serve over pasta.

*I like to make my own sauce by sauteeing a small onion, 1-2 ribs celery and 1-2 carrots (all chopped finely) in olive oil til soft. Then add a couple cloves of garlic, chopped. Cook for 1 minute. Add 32 ounces crushed tomatoes. Simmer for an hour. Portion what you’re not using immediately into 1 cup portions in freezer bags and freeze them for future use.