There's lots to love about meatloaf

Meatloaf is a favorite comfort food. It’s satisfying and it’s easy to make. It doesn’t need to be boring as there are limitless variations on it. It’s a great way to experiment with new flavor combinations and add surprises. But I think my favorite part of a meatloaf is the sandwiches the next day.

Meatloaf is very economical. The mixture can be stretched with veggies, bread and grains. It can become a complete meal in itself if you plan it right.

You can use any combination of ground beef, pork, turkey, veal, chicken or sausage. When you’re ready to compose it, start with fresh or dry bread crumbs, seasoned stuffing mix, crushed crackers, rolled oats, or what my mom used all the time, rice. She used a par-cooked rice, but I have found that pre-cooked works okay.

To lighten meatloaf up, use half or all ground turkey, use less meat and more veggies, and cook the meatloaf on a rack or broiler pan to allow the grease to drain off. It you prefer the uniform shape that a loaf pan gives you, buy a disposable aluminum pan and poke holes in the bottom of it. Set this pan in a larger baking pan on top of a rack and the grease will still drain off while the loaf cooks.

Meatloaf is a dish that reached its zenith in the 1960s, when test kitchens for food manufacturers seemed to work overtime in concocting new meatloaf recipes. Women’s magazines featured dozens of meatloaf recipes, everything from stuffed meatloaves to frosted meatloaves and, eventually, even slimmed-down meatloaves that combined ground beef with ground turkey to reduce the fat and cholesterol load.

What does meatloaf mean now? Some would think that you are being cheap, while others would think you creative. Most family-style restaurants serve it almost as an afterthought. Fine dining establishments almost never have it, unless it is made with ground salmon (!).

Why am I dealing with the so-called “lowly” meatloaf? It does not have to be a main dish in a meal for those who cannot afford fillet mignon. It can become a centerpiece in a meal featuring fluffy mashed potatoes, freshly steamed spinach, along with a favorite dessert, like a fruit sorbet.

STUFFING MEATLOAF

1 package (6 ounces) Stove Top Stuffing

1 cup water

1 pounds ground beef

1 egg, beaten

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine stuffing mix and water until absorbed. Add the beef and eggs, salt and pepper and mix well. Pat out meat mixture into a round baking dish. Bake for about one hour. Sprinkle cheese over meat immediately upon removal from oven. Serve.

BARBECUE MEATLOAF

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup quick cooking oatmeal

1/8 cup cornmeal

1 cup dried bread crumbs

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup tomato juice

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon barbecue sauce

1 dash liquid smoke

1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 teaspoons prepared mustard

2 dashes liquid smoke

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the beef, onion, oatmeal, cornmeal, bread crumbs, salt, sugar, egg, tomato juice, water, barbecue sauce, 1/8 teaspoon liquid smoke and vinegar. Mix together thoroughly and place mixture into a lightly greased 9x5 inch loaf pan. In a separate small bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard and 2 drops liquid smoke and mix thoroughly. Spread over the top of the meatloaf. Bake for approximately one hour.

HINT OF ZUCCHINI MEATLOAF

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

3 small ripe tomatoes, finely chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 large celery stick, grated

1 cup leftover cooked carrot, mashed

1/2 small, very firm raw zucchini, grated

1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon salt

Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine all ingredients; place in a lightly greased loaf pan, and bake for 50 minutes, or until done.