Not my prettiest plate but guarantee the flavor is there!

How can you not love meatloaf? One of the most classic comfort food dishes. I mean it’s meat, and stuff, shaped into a loaf. Wait, maybe I’m not selling it right… Okay so the concept isn’t the most appealing but the flavors you can get out of it are pretty amazing. There’s no need to stick with ground beef or traditional meatloaf mix. Step out of the box–turkey, pork only, lamb–go for it! We started making our own meatloaf mix with local pork and veal and grassfed beef. We would get just shy of half a pound of each, then mix it at home. I swear the humanely raised stuff tastes better! But yes, it is expensive, so for financial reasons, we tend to stick with grass fed beef only.

My meatloaf is pretty traditional. Really the only meatloaf I make (yes, I know I’m encouraging all of you to think out of the box) because it comes out so well. It’s not the most stable dish. It comes out a little messy and doesn’t really firm up until the next day but who really cares? Not a dish I would serve to guests, but for my husband and I–served with some mashed potatoes and veggies, it’s perfect. The secret is tomato soup vs ketchup and a mix of oats instead of just breadcrumbs. Yeah, I know, oats in meatloaf? Sounds a bit weird, but trust me. Have I ever steered you wrong before?

Brooklyn Locavore Meatloaf

• 1lb ground beef (or beef/veal/pork mix)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 c oats
• 1/2 c breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 1 can tomato soup (NOT cream of)
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl (using your hands works best). Evenly spread mixture into a loaf pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before slicing.

TIP: You can also prepare the recipe the night before, cover the loaf pan  with plastic wrap and bake the next day!

Related articles

• Crockpot Cookin: Meatloaf (lattenene1.wordpress.com)
• The Lazy Apple Pie (brooklynlocavore.wordpress.com)
• My To Go Gravy: Beef Bolognese (brooklynlocavore.wordpress.com)
• Cheesy Meatless Monday (brooklynlocavore.wordpress.com)