Recipe: Easy Meatloaf With Oatmeal

I love eating and baking sponge cake, even if it's just served plain.

How to Make the Perfect Meatloaf

Meatloaf is one of the first meals that many people learn to make. It's a versatile food that can be made in many different ways. However, it's hard to beat a classic recipe like the Quaker Oats meatloaf, or an easy recipe like the Lipton onion soup meatloaf. Both of these simple recipes have proven themselves over the years.

However, I really believe that my recipe beats both of them because it contains the best of both meatloaf worlds. My version has the quick oats added instead of bread crumbs. I believe that oats give a better texture, and you never bite into a soggy piece of bread like a person sometimes does when eating a meatloaf made with bread crumbs. Also, my recipe uses onion soup mix, like the classic Lipton soup meatloaf recipe. This greatly reduces preparation time. No onions to chop! Plus, the onion soup mix adds lots of flavor.

Take note, though, that my meatloaf recipe is not firm and dry like many versions. If you like your dish firm like that often found in restaurants, you may not like this version. Personally, I can't stand dry meatloaf. That's why so many people drown their meatloaf in ketchup. My recipe has a sweet topping that requires nothing else to be added to the finished version when it's done.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef
• 3/4 cup uncooked oats
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 1 egg
• 1 envelope of onion soup mix

Topping Ingredients

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon prepared mustard

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Mix all of the meatloaf ingredients (not including the topping) in a large bowl.
3. Mix well, making sure to get the soup mix combined well with the rest of the meatloaf ingredients.
4. Shape ground beef mixture into a loaf shape in a large baking pan. Glass baking pans are better, as the meatloaf doesn't stick as badly and you can see through the dish if the meatloaf is done.
5. Place in oven for 30 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, mix all of the meatloaf topping ingredients together in a small bowl. Mix well to avoid lumps in the brown sugar. A fork works best to mix up the meatloaf topping.
7. After 30 minutes, remove the meatloaf from the oven.
8. Spread the meatloaf topping evenly over the meatloaf with a spatula or pastry brush.
9. Return the meatloaf to the oven at 350 degrees for approximately another 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
10. Let meatloaf stand for about five minutes before slicing.

Serves 6.

Meatloaf may be stored frozen for 3 months.