| Every family has its own meat loaf recipe and many | | | | family to yours.THE BEST MEAT LOAF IN THE |
| of them start with a soup mix. However this family | | | | WORLDINGREDIENTS: 3/4 cup fresh wheat bread |
| recipe, given to me years ago by my mother-in-law, | | | | crumbs; 3/4 cup skim milk; 1 1/2 pounds 90% or |
| is made-from-scratch meat loaf. I'm not talking about | | | | 93% lean ground beef; 2 large eggs, beaten; 1/4 cup |
| the mushy, mystery meat loaf you may have eaten | | | | grated onion; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/8 teaspoon frershly |
| at restaurants. No, I'm talking about all beef meat loaf | | | | ground pepper; 1/2 teaspoon dried sageCombine |
| with ketchup and brown sugar topping.Quality | | | | ingredients in a large mixing bowl with a fork. (Don't |
| ingredients are what make this meat loaf so good. | | | | over-mix or the meat loaf will be tough.) Turn meat |
| First of all, the recipe calls for only one kind of meat - | | | | mixture into a meat loaf pan. Smooth the meat loaf |
| ground beef. The bread crumbs are fresh, not | | | | with the tines of the fork. Prepare topping with 1/4 |
| something from a can. The onion is also fresh, though | | | | cup ketchup, 3 tablespoons brown sugar (or |
| I've used dehydrated in a pinch. As for the topping, it | | | | no-calorie brown sugar), 1 teaspoon dry mustard, and |
| makes every mouthful of meat loaf extra | | | | 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Spread topping over meat loaf. |
| delicious.To make the meat loaf healthier I've | | | | Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Let meat loaf |
| changed a few of the ingredients. I use 90% or 93% | | | | cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Makes 8-10 |
| lean ground beef, not the cheaper, fattier kind. Skim | | | | servings.Copyright 2005 by Harriet Hodgson. Hodgson |
| milk replaces whole milk. Instead of white bread | | | | has been a nonfiction writer for 27 years and is a |
| crumbs I use whole wheat bread crumbs. Often I | | | | member of the Association of Health Care Journalists. |
| use no-calorie brown sugar instead of regular.You can | | | | Before she became a health writer she was a food |
| make this meat loaf in minutes. A family of four, | | | | writer for the former "Rochester Magazine" in her |
| including two teens, will proably eat this meat loaf at | | | | hometown of Rochester, MN. Her 24th book, "Smiling |
| one sitting. If you have any leftovers you can make | | | | Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief," written with |
| meat loaf sandwiches or crumble the meat loaf into | | | | Lois Krahn, MD, is available from A five-star review |
| spaghetti sauce. Here's the recipe, a gift from my | | | | of the book is also posted on Amazon. |