You have a busy life. We all do. Very few of us have time to plan elaborate dinners every night of the week. Meatloaf may not be a glamorous meal, but is satisfying, and can be healthy at times. It is also easy to fix, and it is something your family and friends would eat for dinner.
For pure alliteration, we suggest that you have Meatloaf on Mondays, and we will call it Meatloaf Monday. If you observe Meatless Monday, then pick a different day. However, Meatloaf Thursday just doesn't have the same ring to it. Once you have chosen a day, you will need some Easy Meatloaf Recipes to get started. Try choosing four or five meatloaf recipes, so each week of the month is a little different.
Meal planning takes a lot of time and effort. Eating out all the time gets expensive, plus you have the hassle of choosing a restaurant, driving across town to the latest trendy place, only to find out that their pasta tastes like shoelaces. Meatloaf is simple. If you commit to one night a week to have meatloaf at home, you don't need to drive all over town, and the cost is very reasonable. In most cases, you can prepare it ahead of time, and just pop it in the oven when you come home from work.
Here is an Easy Meatloaf Recipe for the busy cook who wants to keep it simple, or the inexperienced cook who needs some guidance. Follow the step-by-step instructions to create a great meatloaf next Monday.
Ingredients:
1/2 Cup chopped onion
1/3 Cup Milk
1/4 Cup Bread Crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar (for topping)
3/4 Cup Catsup (for topping)
Preparation:
• Set your oven to 350o to start preheating it for baking.
• Get a medium to large mixing bowl and put the ground beef in the bowl.
• Using a large knife, slice one small onion or about half of a large onion. After slicing the onion, chop the rings into small pieces about ¼ to ½ inches long. When the onion is chopped, measure ½ cup and put it in the bowl with the meat.
• Measure out 1/3 Cup Milk, ¼ Cup Bread Crumbs and 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce and put them in the bowl with the meat.
• Break an egg into a small bowl, beat it with a wire whisk (or a fork) until the yolk and the white are blended together. Pour the egg into the bowl with the meat.
• Now the fun part - use your hands to blend all the ingredients together to form a loaf. It should stick together well, and it will look like a small loaf of bread. If it is not sticking together, add a little more bread crumbs, but go sparingly, as too many bread crumbs will make it too dry. Place the loaf into a loaf pan (these pans are sometimes used for making bread).
• Combine 3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar and ¾ Cup Catsup in a small bowl. Blend them together with a wire whisk (or a fork) until it is a smooth mixture and you can no longer see the Brown Sugar. Spread this mixture over the loaf you formed above.
• Place in oven and bake at 350o for 45 minutes.
• When it is cooked, remove from the oven and let it set for about 5 minutes, then drain any excess juice from the pan before removing the meatloaf.
Look for a website that has several good recipes for meatloaf with simple, easy to understand instructions. One of my favorites is a Healthy Meatloaf Recipe with Turkey and Spinach. While I love the traditional meatloaf recipes, this one is delicious, and it is healthier. Experiment with different easy meatloaf recipes to see which one you like best. The good part is that none of them are bad - they are all delicious and easy to make.
You may want an Easy Meatloaf Recipe with Oatmeal instead of using Bread Crumbs; or you might like more traditional Meatloaf Recipe with Pork and Beef. It is important to try them all to see what you like. After a while, you can experiment with various seasonings to find what tastes best to you and your family. A little thyme or some oregano might tantalize the taste buds of your family.
If you really want to simplify your life, make the commitment today to have meatloaf once a week. It takes minimal planning, and you often have all the ingredients you need right in your kitchen. Use a good grade of meat, and choose a good recipe to get you started. Most Easy Meatloaf Recipes take about a half hour to prepare, and an hour or so to cook. You can make the side dishes and set the table while it is cooking.
Side dishes are important. Depending on the season, we suggest a tossed salad with fresh green beans and potatoes in the spring and early summer. Corn-on-the cob is good with Cole slaw, and you can serve canned vegetables in the winter, such as corn, beans or peas.
Make up your mind, and get started today. Keep it simple. Let's make Meatloaf Monday a tradition.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_C_Stewart_Sr
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