Nana's Meatloaf - Morgan Susan Wilklow's Favorite

I love meatloaf and apparently by making it as much as I do, my niece, Morgan LOVES it! Morgan lives here in Colorado Springs and we are blessed that she and her sister come spend a lot of time with Dave and  I. Delaney loves Pot Roast but Morgan is the meatloaf girl. I was out of the house yesterday when she came over to visit and the first thing she asked was whether I had any meatloaf for her to have for lunch. Unfortunately, I did not. So she ate popcorn....but I promised her that WE would make some loaves today. I usually make a large loaf pan for myself and Dave. I cut 1/3 of it off and drop it off at her house most weeks. But I got some mini loaf pans this fall and we make up 4 mini loaves of meatloaf today. I know every family has their favorite meatloaf recipe so here is ours!

Nana's Meatloaf:
1 lb of ground beef (I always prefer 93% or leaner meat)
1 egg
3 tbsp ketchup
1/3 cup minced onion
2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
2 tbsp salt (I use Kosher Salt in cooking ALWAYS)
1 tbsp pepper
2 slices of bread diced (slate or cold bread works great) OR use flavored bread brings good flavor
Plain or flavored bread crumbs
Tomato Paste

Meatloaf is the perfect food to prepare with your hands. Add all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix with your hands constantly bringing up the mix from the bottom of the bowl and integrating. Heat oven to 375*.  Pour about a cup of bread crumbs on to a sunken plate. Shape the meat mixture into a loaf shape and then place on top of plate with bread crumbs. Roll meatloaf until all sides and the ends are covered in bread crumbs and put into large loaf pan. (I prefer a stone loaf pan or heavy metal one. If using glass, turn down your temperature to 350* and watch that is does not burn on the bottom.) Finally, open can of tomato paste and smear along top of meatloaf covering all meat exposed to the heat. Then place in oven and cook for 50 -60 minutes. I have learned to put a tent of FOIL on top of the loaf pan for the first 45 minutes so as to not burn the tomato paste.

I serve this meat with either baked potatoes or mashed. If making baked potatoes, I wash, poke and wrap them in foil. I turn the temperature up to 400* and place the foil covered potatoes in the oven on the same rack with the meatloaf and cook together for 1 hour.

Meatloaf keeps about a week in the frig and can also freeze well. My dad loved meatloaf sandwiches. Mom would slice the cold meatloaf into 1 inch slices and place on regular bread and smear with ketchup.   I think he ate it cold but it could be warmed in the microwave at work for a heartier lunch!