Laura's Easy Meatloaf Recipe

Disclaimer: I don't cook. I never bothered to learn to cook because my mom was a FANTASTIC cook and for some reason it never occurred to me that I would need to learn when I left home. I have been slowly and painfully learning how to cook through the last 15 years, making lots and lots of really stupid mistakes. I'm sure there are mistakes in the following recipe (feel free to point them out in the comments if you'd like) but it works for me. This is a meal that actually tastes pretty good that I can make. And I'm putting it up on this boring blog mostly for my use later on... and to remind myself just how incredibly easy this is to make.

Ingredients: 2 eggs, 2 pounds ground beef, 1/2 cup milk, 2-3 slices bread (finely crumbled), Johnny's Seasoning Salt, steak or BBQ sauce, any spices you can find in the kitchen, and one really big bowl.

Toss all the ingredients in the big bowl, picking out what spices you want to add by how you feel today. Johnny's Seasoning Salt is a family favorite, you don't have to use that, but use garlic, onions, paprika, parsley, thyme, rosemary, pepper and anything else you like. This is a really easy recipe, so you can make it more than once and try different combos. If you aren't feeling confident, grab a meatloaf mix from the local grocery shop... but those are just a bunch of spices, and you'll want to add your own anyway. Much more important is some steak or BBQ sauce. In a pinch, ketchup will do, but you'll want something liquid to add besides the milk and eggs. Put in as much or as little as you feel like, but you don't want it to be soupy. I usually add a splash or two.

Mix with clean hands until well-blended.

Cover bowl and put it in the refrigerator overnight. Don't know why, but this seems to work. Maybe the bread sops up all the liquid or something.

When you are ready to cook it, shape it into a loaf and put it in a loaf pan or a larger pan that has edges (it will leak a little when it cooks). It should hold shape if you put it on a larger pan, but I haven't tried it, personally.

Cook at 375 for 1 hour.

You can serve it immediately. Leftovers should go in the fridge. Makes lovely meatloaf sandwiches. Makes about ten slices, give or take a couple depending on how thin or thick you slice.

Notes:

• Use your hands to mix. They should get cold, but it'll blend best that way.
  
• Don't store it in the fridge in the pan you cooked it in. Put it on a fresh plate. You'll want to wash your cooking pan right away.
  
• If you like, you can add a design in ketchup on the top of the loaf before you cook it. Adds a little flair and a tiny bit of taste.
  
• High quality bread makes a better loaf. I use the heels of sourdough bread we get from a bakery.
  
• High quality meat helps too. Lean is good.
  
• Best served with mashed potatoes and a veggie.