The weather isn't cold enough for me. Wisconsin is known for its brutal winters, but last year we got virtually no snow, and I'm starting to worry this year will be the same.
My sophomore AND junior years of college we got a snow day. The first in half a century. People were cross-country skiing in the streets and the liquor stores had lines out the door. (This is Wisconsin, after all). It was grand. I want that type of winter again.
I know, I'm a crazy person, but the snow around Christmas time is mandatory for a beautiful, wonderful Christmas. I need it. I want it more than anything else.
I'm crazy.
But on the plus side, is cold enough for comfort food classics.
This is where the meatloaf comes in!
Don't go away yet! This meatloaf is magical. It's my mom's recipe; that woman is a wiz with ground beef and this is just one of her many masterpieces.
This meatloaf is moist and full of flavor. It's simple enough to make on a weekday, but impressive enough to...impress people. Even if it's just your cat.
The ingredients are humble. Just two pounds of ground beef (I always use lean) an onion, an egg, some crackers or other bread-like product, some onion soup mix and some seasonings to taste.
Onion soup mix is an unsung hero.
Mix this all up. You'll probably have to use your hands. And it will be gross. But totally worth it.
Shape this into a vague, loaf-like shape. When I was little, my mom shaped it into a heart. I opted for a wonky oval.
Now these ingredients, my friends, are the KEY to this meatloaf. You're probably going to leave again. Don't! It's the special sauce!
The sauce is totally to taste. It's a bit of a guessing game and I only know when I get it right because I've had it before but don't fret! I will give you guidelines.
Pour about half-ish of the sauce over the loaf. You'll want more sauce for dipping!
Delectable!
I would suggest some mashed potatoes and maybe some green beans or a fresh salad for a really really good winter meal!
RECIPE:
For the meatloaf:
2 lbs hamburger
1 chopped onion
1 pkg of onion soup mix
1/2 cup of some kind of crushed cracker or croutons-crush it not super fine but not super coarse-somehwere in the middle.
1 egg
salt and pepper, or other seasonings of your liking
For the sauce:
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup ketchup
3 tbsp yellow mustard
Preheat oven to 350
Mix all ingredients for the meatloaf together in a large bowl. Use a spoon if you can get it to be uniform, otherwise, dig in with your hands. Place in a baking dish. Wisk the brown sugar, ketchup, and mustard together. Taste- and if it tastes sweet and tangy and good, then that's all you'll need. Otherwise, keep messing with proportions to get it to your liking. bake for "an hour or so" according to mom. Which means nothing, because she doesn't really use recipes. So, for you, i'd say at an hour, check it. Mine took about an hour and a half, but it was pretty thick!
Let it cool for a few minutes before slicing into the loaf.
ENJOY!
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