Elevated Meatloaf

Say goodbye to boring meatloaf forever!

Meat loaf is a traditional American dish made of ground meat that is combined with other ingredients such as breadcrumbs, raw egg, and onion. It is then shaped into a loaf and baked in the oven. Standard meatloaf sometimes gets a bad rap for being boring, but there are many great ways to make it exciting. Here are three tasty ways to elevate your plain meatloaf to a whole new level of deliciousness.

Basic meatloaf recipe:
Ingredients:
• 1 ½ lbs. ground beef, 90% lean optimal
• 1 cup ripped pieces of white bread, lightly packed in measuring cup (no crusts)
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup diced yellow onion
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 Tbsp. Ketchup
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• ¾ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• ¼ tsp. black pepper

Directions:
In a small bowl, pour the milk over the bread and set aside so that milk soaks into bread, about 3 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, add beef, moistened bread, onion, egg, ketchup, Worcestershire, Italian seasoning, salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Mix until combined. Then put the meat mixture into a loaf pan and pat it down to make an even layer. Bake uncovered for 55 minutes. Let the meat rest for 8 to 10 minutes before serving. (Use a meat thermometer to test doneness. 165 degrees Fahrenheit is recommended.) Serve with brown gravy.

Three best ways to elevate meatloaf using the above recipe or your very own:

Way #1: Make a tangy glaze
Omit brown gravy and make a tangy glaze instead that bakes on top of the meatloaf. Here’s how: In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup Ketchup, 2 Tbsp. packed light or dark brown sugar, and 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar. Pour the sauce evenly on top of the raw meatloaf before cooking in oven.

Way # 2: Create a sharp cheese & spinach filling
Microwave 1 bag of frozen spinach per package directions. Drain and let cool. Mix with 8 oz. of shredded cooper sharp cheese. Lay half of the meatloaf mixture in the loaf pan evenly, then evenly distribute the spinach and cheese over top. Top evenly with remaining meatloaf mixture. Skip the brown gravy. For topping, coat meatloaf with an 8 oz. can of tomato paste prior to cooking.

Way #3: Create a pinwheel style cheesy roasted red pepper & spinach filled meatloaf
On a sheet of non-stick wax paper, flatten the meat mixture to form a 12 x 10 rectangle. Lay slices of provolone cheese (from an 8 oz. package), drained roasted red peppers (from a 7 oz. jar), and fresh uncooked triple washed spinach (about 4 cups) over top. Then roll meatloaf until all the ingredients are on the inside. Lay it seam side down on a baking dish. Cover loaf with 1 cup of marinara sauce before baking and omit the brown gravy.