Back to School Edition

Whew!  We made it!  We survived another summer!  It's the first day of school in our house and probably in yours as well! 

My big 8th Grade Boy- Less than thrilled!

     My 2nd and 5th Grade Girls!                                              

With a new school year brings new goals, new routines and schedules.  I love the beginning of the school year.  It's like a clean slate, another chance to be the super-mom that I fell short of last year :-0

We are really big on traditions in our house.  We have many that we celebrate.  I'm not sure if it is due to the fact that I want lots of traditions for my children to remember or for the simple fact that I very much, dislike change:-/

Anyway, one of our long standing traditions is that we have Meatloaf for dinner on the 1st day of the new school year.  Now this isn't any meatloaf, this is my mom's meatloaf, which we call Meme's Meatloaf.

I'm sure you could find a different meatloaf recipe for every person that exists on the planet, and there is really nothing all that special about the "meat" portion of this meal, but there are a few secret ingredients that I will actually share with you....Before we go on let's address the name of said meal.  I know that the name meatloaf does not really do anything for the senses- really the visual is pretty un-appetizing so from now we will call it ML.                

The secret to this particular ML are these 3 ingredients:

Tomato Sauce, Brown Sugar and Distilled Vinegar

Let me also add that I am cooking for 4 people plus a 13 year old boy who just might have a tape worm.  I also plan for leftovers for sandwiches but you can alter the recipe for your needs.

Meme's ML

3 lbs. ground beef (I use extra lean 4% fat but a ground chuck will work just as well.)

3/4-1 cup of Italian bread crumbs- store bought  (The higher the fat content of your meat the more bread crumbs you will need)

1- 8 oz can tomato sauce

1/4 cup dried minced onions

2 eggs

salt/pepper to taste

Basic, easy, nothing special.

Combine the beef with the bread crumbs, tomato sauce, minced onions, 2 eggs and salt and pepper.  Work the ingredients together well.  I have made this gluten free by making my own GF bread crumbs and using those.  It turned out great and was a hit with the fam, even being GF.  Divide the meat into 2 equal portions and form 2 "loaves".  And Now for the Magic....

Secret Sauce

2- 8oz oz cans Tomato Sauce

4 tbsp brown sugar

4 tbsp vinegar

combine 2 cans of tomato sauce with brown sugar and vinegar, stir well- baste meatloaf before placing in oven and then baste every 15-20 minutes.  You will baste 4-5 times during the cooking process using most, if not all, of the sauce.

Place ML in oven that has been preheated to 350.  Cook for 1hr. to 1 1/2 hrs depending on varying oven temps.    

Baste before placing in oven

Basting during the cooking process

end result- a deep, rich and toasty red

So, if you have not been a fan of ML in the past,  try this one,  it is a quick and  easy way to get comfort food on the table, and there is no better day for comfort food than the first day of the new school year.

We always serve this with mashed potatoes or scalloped potatoes (box variety:-0) and peas from the 

freezer section.  Easy, Easy and your kids will have a meal that they will take to adulthood with them and they just might make it for their families one day:-)

Happy Cooking!

Jennifer