Lately I find the term "comfort food" wherever I see recipes. In magazines, newspapers, and on the internet, recipes for comfort food include everything from hamburgers, to pasta, to pies, to split pea soup, to tamales! Search for "comfort food" recipes at any internet book store, and you'll get a long list of matching cookbooks. Currently, there 37 cookbooks with comfort food recipes in search results from Amazon.Com! The term may be a bit over used, but to many of us, a simple meatloaf really is the ultimate comfort food. For a complete oven meal, make a baked side dish such as scalloped potatoes, baked macaroni & cheese, or baked potatoes with meatloaf. The aroma of a meatloaf dinner in the oven will be a warm and comforting welcome home for everyone. Most meat loaf recipes suggest using ground chuck or 80% lean ground beef. A mixture of ground beef, ground pork and ground veal, popularly known as "Meatloaf Mix" is available in most supermarkets.

To cut the fat in meatloaf, use extra lean ground beef such as ground round, or ground beef labeled 90% lean. You can also use ground turkey in place of all or part of the ground beef. Half ground turkey and half ground chuck is a good meatloaf combination . Use egg substitute in place of egg to reduce at least some of the cholesterol.

Moisture from added vegetables can make up for the dryness of leaner meat. To make a juicier meatloaf and pump up the nutrition, add extra onion and bell pepper, finely ground carrots, spinach, or other finely chopped vegetables. Hiding extra vegetables in a meatloaf is also a good idea if you've been having a hard time getting your kids to eat vegetables.

The average meatloaf, made with about 1-1/2 pounds of ground meat, in a 4" x 4" x 8" loaf pan, should be baked at 350º for 1 to 1-1/2 hours. You can also make meatloaf in a microwave oven with good results. Microwaved meatloaves are moister than those that are conventionally baked. To convert a conventional meatloaf recipe for the microwave, reduce liquid ingredients by about one third.

To shorten baking time, whether you're baking meatloaf in a microwave oven or in a conventional oven, make several small, individual meatloaves instead of one large one.

After removing meatloaf from the oven, let it stand on the counter for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving. If you're planning to have leftovers for cold meatloaf sandwiches, slice only the amount you will need for dinner. For uniform sandwich slices that won't fall apart, refrigerate leftover meatloaf and slice after it's cold.

Meatloaf can be made ahead and frozen for up to a month. To freeze a meatloaf, wrap it in plastic wrap plus aluminum foil. When you want to use it, place it in the refrigerator to thaw.

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Here's a basic recipe for a moist, delicious meatloaf.

Meatloaf 3/4 cup bread crumbs 1-1/2 lb. lean ground beef 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1/2 cup ketchup 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped green pepper 1 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper Preparation - In a large bowl, mix the breadcrumbs into the ground beef; set aside. Place all the remaining ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until well blended. Add the sauce mixture to the ground beef mixture and mix well. Place in a loaf shaped pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350º for 1-1/2 hours. Drain the fat from the pan. Let stand for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Click Here for a printer friendly version of this recipe.

Click on the meatloaves below for more recipes....

Italian Meatloaf Crockpot Barbecue Meatloaf Cheddar Cheese Meatloaf Meatloaf - Microwave Oven Recipe

Salsa Meatloaf Mini Meatloaves A copycat recipe for Boston Market Meatloaf Lipton Onion Soup"Souperior Meatloaf"

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Comfort Food: Rachael Ray Top 30 30-Minute Meals This spiral bound cookbook is packed with quick and easy recipes for hearty soups, satisfying pastas, and other comfort food favorites from today's best selling cookbook author.

3lb Lo-Fat Meatloaf Pan Make your meatloaf healthier by letting the grease drain away as it bakes. This 2 piece meatloaf pan includes a raised inner pan...fat drains through the holes into the outer pan.

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You Should Also Read:
The Home Cooking Recipe Index and Site Map
Versatile Ground Beef
The Home Cooking Cookbook Corner


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