Bake your meatballs in mini muffin cups. You want to size them so that the ball doesn't touch the bottom of the cup.

You get the round bottom that way.

Or fry them. It takes longer, but frying gives the outsides of the ball just the right texture. Just keep rolling them around in the frying pan - they'll stay round.

I love meatloaf, too. What a good idea for tonight!

I love my Weight Watcher recipe, but for years the only meat loaf I liked was one I first tried 40 years ago. Killer!

Rosie's Meat Loaf
1-1/2 lb ground beef (chuck works well, too low in fat a beef will make your meatloaf not hold together)
2 eggs
1 tsp salt and pepper
1/2 cup catsup
15-20 Ritz crackers crumbled
1 tsp mustard
1 med onion, chopped (or a little less)
1 tsp worcestershire
1/4 tsp oregano (we often eliminate this)
Mix all together and Bake covered for 1-1/2 hours. I take the top off the last 20 minutes to scrape the top and brown it.

I am not kidding. I hated meat loaf until I tasted this recipe. It is really, really good. I have never liked the meatloaf with torn up shreds of bread. It tasted soggy to me. But the Ritz crackers add a touch of yummy that makes all the difference.
Sherry

I like a simplier meatloaf also, I use meat loaf mixture. It's a combo of ground beef, veal and pork. Mix with salt, pepper, egg, bread crumbs, a splash of worchestire sauce and some ketchup, maybe some minced onion and parm cheese! I shape it, coat it with more ketchup and put carrots and onions on top and bake!

My meatballs are a similiar mixture, but I add garlic and oregano and no ketchup. Sometimes I fry them, if I'm in a hurry I bake them!

Gina

I never cared for meatloaf because I don't like ketchup and most meatloaf recipes contain ketchup or tomato paste.

The exception was a grilled meatloaf I had many years ago in Magnolia's Restaurant, Charleston,SC.

This is my version of that Meatloaf. It can be sliced and served immediately, but I prefer it grilled the way it was served in the restaurant.

Meat Loaf Magnolia
==================

1 1/2 pounds ground veal or mixture of beef and veal

1 small onion finely chopped
1 to 2 cloves of garlic
2 slices Italian/French Bread soaked in milk
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoons of dried herbs,
(sage and Thyme, a small amount of rosemary
olive oil

Sauce

Green peppercorns
mushrooms
1 to 2 cups chicken broth

Saute onion in olive oil until soft. Add minced garlic and saute for
30 seconds. Do not brown garlic

Soak bread in milk

In a large bowl add meat, Dijon mustard, chopped parsley, herbs, onions
and garlic and mix with hands. Squeeze bread to break up and add milk
and bread to mixture. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Saute
a small piece to check for seasoning. Adjust to taste.

Shape meatloaf into a rectangle about 8 X 4 x 3 inches high and place
in a small roasting pan. Bake for 30 minutes and then add a small
amount of broth to the pan to prevent the bottom from becoming to
brown. Bake another 30 minutes and baste with the pan juices. Add
more broth if necessary. Cook another 10 minutes or until the meatloaf
is nicely browned.

Let cool and wrap in foil and refrigerate. Reserve pan juices.

Make a sauce by adding some green peppercorns and sauted mushrooms to
the pan juices.

Heat grill

Slice meatloaf into 1/2 inch thick slices and grill on both sides until
nicely marked and hot.

Serve with mashed potatoes

I modifed some recipe I found somewhere and came up with this one for meatloaf. I've also made it into meatballs.

Italian Meatloaf

Into a mixing bowl, place:
1 pound ground sirloin beef
1/2 pound ground mild Italian sausage (I use turkey)
1/2 cup coarse dried bread crumbs, preferably sourdough or Italian
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or wine
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

Process until FINE with metal blade in food processor, then add to mixing bowl:
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1 small bunch (to taste) fresh Italian parsley

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Lightly oil a 9- x 5-inch loaf pan.

Combine all ingredients and mix together. Pat down into the pan and gently pack down. Bake 45 minutes. Pour off drippings.

Bake until an internal temperature reaches 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer. Let stand 10 minutes, pour off drippings, and remove from pan before slicing.

My family likes this recipe a lot and is now the only one I use.

Brown Sugar Meatloaf from Allrecipes

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
l 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
3/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp ground ginger
2 eggs
3/4 cup finely crushed saltine cracker crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 5x9
inch loaf pan.
2. Press the brown sugar in the bottom of the prepared pan
and spread the ketchup over the sugar.
3. In a mixing bowl, mix thoroughly all remaining
ingredients and shape into a loaf. Place on top of the
ketchup.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until juices are
clear.

I saute my onions first and cool them, then add them to meat mixture. I also add thyme, egg, etc.

I, too, don't like ketchup so I top it with chili sauce. Really good and adds a nice flavor.

My aunt adds Stove Top Stuffing (dry form) in place of breadcrumbs. She also adds a 1-inch square cube (length of the loaf) of mozzarella cheese in the middle of the loaf.

This has been my favorite meatloaf recipe for many years:

Amish Swiss Meatloaf

1 egg
1/2 c. evaporated milk
1/2 tsp. rubbed sage
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1 c. Ritz cracker crumbs
3/4 c. grated Swiss cheese
1/4 c. finely chopped onion
2-3 strips bacon, cut in 1" pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat the egg in a large bowl. Add evaporated milk, sage, salt and pepper, and mix. Add beef, crumbs, 1/2 cup of the cheese and the onion; blend. Form into a loaf and place in a 2 quart rectangular baking dish. Arrange bacon pieces on top of loaf. Bake 40 minutes. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and bake 10 minutes longer.

I use a different method for my meatballs. I broil them a little on a cookie sheet so they get brown on top but don't cook all the way. Then I throw them in my big vat of homemade sauce that's already cooking on low on the stove. The meatballs finish cooking in the sauce. They come out round and happy. ;-)

I've never been a meatloaf fan, but I'm going to have to try Ann's grilled meatloaf. Who knew?!

As for meatballs, a cookbook that I'd recommend is from John LaFemina called A Man and His Meatballs. It's not only a good read, but has some terrific recipes. If you want something fancy, this a recipe I've used that gets lots of 'ooohs and aaaahs'. Not something you'd make for everyday, but wonderful for a special occasion when you don't mind doing something time-intensive.

Veal, Beef and Pork Meatballs with Ricotta Filling
(8-10 servings)

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:
3 cups cubed crust-less filone or regular Italian bread (about 1/2 loaf)
1 pound ground veal
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1 egg
1/2 onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Pinch of oregano
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 cups tomato sauce

For the stuffing:
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Black pepper to taste

To finish the meatballs:
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Method:

Preheat oven to 350.

To make the meatballs, run cubed breadcrumbs under water and gently squeeze out excess liquid. Put bread in a large mixing bowl. Add veal, beef, pork, egg, onion, parsley, basil, cheese oregano, salt and pepper. Mix well with hands. Divide mixture into 8 portions. Using hands, roll each portion into a large meatball about the size of an apple. Place meatballs in a medium to large baking dish.

In a separate bowl, combine tomato sauce and 2 cups water. Spoon tomato sauce and water mixture over the meatballs until liquid comes three-quarters of the way up. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake the meatballs for 1 hour, turning the dish after 30 minutes. Remove baking dish from oven, drain and discard liquid. Let meatballs cool to room temperature. At this point the meatballs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To make stuffing, in a medium mixing bowl, combine ricotta with Parmigiano, salt and pepper. Using an apple corer or small knife, core out a hole to the bottom of the meatball that is about 1/2 inch in diameter. Fill the hole with cheese mixture (for best results, use a pastry bag).

To finish, spoon the tomato sauce evenly over the meatballs and heat for 10-15 minutes at 350. Remove pan from oven. Place 1 tablespoon of ricotta on top of each meatball, sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano and heat for an additional 3 minutes.

For a healthier, less splashy alternative, I love the chicken meatballs that Ina Garten uses for her Italian Wedding Soup. I get wonderful Italian chicken sausage from a local market, so I make a big batch, and freeze them to use in soup and pasta. They hold up really well and are tastier, imho, than ground turkey. I've made them in different sizes -- so, vary your baking time accordingly.

Chicken Meatballs

3/4 pound ground chicken
1/2 pound chicken sausage, casings removed
2/3 cup fresh white bread crumbs
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
3 tablespoons milk
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the ground chicken, sausage, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, Pecorino, Parmesan, milk, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl and combine gently with a fork. With a teaspoon, drop 1 to 1 1/4-inch meatballs onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (You should have about 40 meatballs. They don't have to be perfectly round.) Bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside.

Stir Fry:
I bake my meatballs now but at one time, I dropped them
into the Sauce ( gravy ),uncooked,
one at a time while, it was simmering.

I put the Sausage in uncooked also.

Give it a test. I think you may like them that way.

The only reason I bake them now is because I can make a large amount and freeze them.
Don't overcook them.

Add the baked meatballs to the Sauce but simmer only a short while. Sometimes they get hard.

You have a lot of good recipes here but I'll put mine in if you want.
Lou

Yikes, Lou! We always felt sorry for my poor cousins because my aunt dropped her raw meats in the sauce. Travesty! Fried is the ONLY WAY!!!! We even disapproved of baked - I still do!

Sherry

Here's the one I've used for years and it is the best I've ever found.
I was given the recipe from a player's wife when I worked for the coaching staff of the B.C. Lions pro football club in Vancouver in the early 1960s.
The player was an American man who said he'd rather have his wife's meatloaf than any of the steaks they were obliged to eat during their training.
So we girls in the office just had to get a copy of her recipe, and this is it.

WORLD'S BEST MEATLOAF

1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs - (tear up soft sliced bread - don't use fine crumbs as for breading)
1 1/2 lb ground meat (beef or pork & beef) (about 700 grams)
1 beaten egg
1 onion chopped fine
1/4 teasp dry Colman's (or similar) mustard
1/8 teasp ground sage
1/2 teasp ground thyme
1 1/2 teasp salt

1/4 teas pepper
1/8 teasp nutmeg
1 chopped green pepper
1 tin condensed tomato soup (eg Campbells's)
3/4 cup grated celery
3/4 cup grated carrot

1) Mix meat with egg, add onion and seasonings and bread crumbs, greens and carrots

2) Add half the tin of soup and mix everything well. Turn into greased loaf pan or glass casserole dish 8.5 x 11 inches and pour remaining soup over the top, smoothing it evenly over all.

3) Bake 350 F (177 C) for 1 1/4 hours.

Source: American Pro Footbal Player's Wife in 1963

My Notes:

1) I use 'tomate frito' instead of the condensed soup.
It's a rich fried Spanish tomato pur but otherwise condensed soup is good. Never use ketchup !
2) I usually double the amount of the ground spices with the exception of salt.

Plated:

SharonCb

Having tried many, many different meatloaf recipes over the years, this one is still my "go to" recipe. I cut it out of a supermarket flyer back in the 80's. The cheese is my addition because Tim always asks me to add cheese!

Upside Down Meatloaf

1/2c brown sugar
1/2c catsup
1-1/2lb lean ground beef
3/4c milk
2 eggs, beaten
1-1/2tsp salt
1/4tsp pepper
1 small onion, grated
1c grated cheddar cheese
1/4tsp ground ginger
3/4c crushed cracker crumbs

Press brown sugar in bottom of loaf pan, spread catsup over sugar. Mix all remaining ingredients in large bowl and shape into loaf. Place on top of sugar/catsup in pan. Bake one hour at 350F. Invert on platter and serve.

Linda

I use the same recipe for meatballs and for meatloaf, my girls just love this one, I think because everything goes into the blender and there are no chunks of anything. I always bake meatballs because they are kind of a pain to make and so I make huge amounts and freeze them, but this recipe says to fry them.

If I use the mixture to make meatloaf I put it into a loaf pan and top with a mixture of 1/2 cup of catsup with a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar and a couple tablespoonse of cider vinegar. Nancy (wizardnm) gave me that "recipe" and the girls like it better than anything else I've used as a sauce. A few strips of bacon makes the meatloaf even better, LOL. I nearly always use all beef because that's what I have, occasionally it's half beef/half pork but I never use veal.

Rocco's Mama's Meatballs

1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 large sweet onion, rough chopped
4 cloves garlic, rough chopped
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
5 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
2 to 3 pinches chili flakes
2 to 3 pinches salt
Olive oil, to coat hands and for browning meatballs
Cooked spaghetti (optional)
.
Make the sauce: Heat oil in a large saucepan. When oil is hot, sauté onions until translucent.Add the garlic and the tomatoes. Simmer. when the meatballs have been browned add them to the sauce and simmer for at least one hour.
Make the meatballs: Place the chicken stock, onion, garlic and parsley in a blender and purée. Set aside. Place the meat, breadcrumbs, eggs, grated cheese, chili flakes and salt in a large bowl. Add the puréed chicken-stock mix. Using your hands, gently but thoroughly combine all ingredients, being careful not to overmix the meat.
Coat your hands with a little olive oil and form the meatballs.
Pour oil in a large skillet to a depth of about 1/2 inch and place over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, brown the meatballs, turning once. Cook until meatballs are done. Serve over spaghetti, if desired.

Annie

You can't go wrong with Momma's Meatballs. One of my favourites.

I prefer to fry meatballs, and sometimes but not always roll them in fresh bread crumbs before frying. But the real secret to a great meatball is to simmer for at least an hour or longer in the sauce. This makes for a much more tender meatball. I dislike immensely the texture of meatballs that are served immediately after just baking or frying.

Here are a three more of my favourite meatball recipes.

Pork Meatballs seasoned with Garlic and Fresh Basil
===================================================

1 1/2 pounds ground pork
2 cloves garlic, mashed
1/2 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese freshly cracked black pepper
salt

Sauce

olive oil
2 to 3 cloves of garlic
2 cans of tomatoes
high quality dried basil
salt and pepper
1/2 cup fresh chopped basil

For the Meatballs

Put the meat in a bowl. Tip: Using a microplane grate the garlic. This is the quickest and easiest way to make a garlic paste. Add the Parmesan cheese and the salt and pepper. Pulse the basil with the bread crumbs and add to the bowl. Add the eggs and mix well. Tip: To check for seasoning by frying a small piece.

Form into meatballs and brown in olive oil. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer about one hour.

For the Sauce

Add the garlic cloves to the oil and saute for 30 to 60 seconds. Do not let the garlic brown.

Add the tomatoes, dried basil, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Add the browned meatballs and continue to simmer for about an hour or until the meatballs are tender.

Just before serving add fresh chopped basil.

Swedish Meatballs
=================

Adjusted from c.1998, M.S. Milliken & S. Feniger

Meatballs:
2 slices white bread, crusts removed
1/2 cup milk
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1 small onion,
2 to 3 eggs
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Butter and vegetable oil for frying meatballs

Gravy:
3 cups beef stock
2 to 3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh parsley, for garnish

Pulse onion, bread and milk in processor. (I use a mini processor).

Mix beef and pork together. Add spices, salt, pepper and mix well. Add
onion/bread/milk mixture and using hands mix to combined. Add eggs.
Test seasoning by sauting a small piece. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Shape meatballs. Heat skillet, add butter and oil and brown meatballs.
Remove from pan. Make sauce by adding flour to the drippings. Cook
for a couple of minutes. Add enough beef broth to make sauce. Add 1/2
cup cream. Bring to a simmer and add the meatballs to the sauce and
simmer for at least an hour.

Serve over noodles. Sprinkle with minced parsley.

Edited Feb. 2nd, 2010

Greek Meatballs With Avgolemono Sauce
=====================================

These are extremely tender and flavourful meatballs. You can use them to make Greek Cabbage rolls too.

1 1/4 lbs Lean Ground Beef
1/2 lb lean ground pork
2 slices of bread, made into crumbs and soaked with milk
3 garlic cloves
1 small grated onion
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 to 1 cup chopped spinach, squeezed dry
1 tablespoon chopped mint
2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoons dried oregano
2 eggs
1/3 cup uncooked rice
salt and pepper to taste

Option: Add some fresh chopped dill as well

5 cups chicken broth

Sauce

2 egg yolks
1 whole egg
juice of 1 large lemon (1/4 cup)
1 1/2 cups of broth (from cooking meatballs)

Makes approximately 48 meatballs.

As an alternative to the egg/lemon sauce, try doing this instead:
Make a roux with butter and flour, add the chicken stock that you cooked the meatballs in, simmer, add some of the hot sauce to an egg yolk and then slowly stir the mixture back into the remaining sauce. Add lemon juice. Add the meatballs and simmer on low for a few minutes. Do not boil if using the egg yolk.

.
Mix the two meats together well and add the rest of the ingredients and
mix well using hands.

Saute a small amount to taste for seasoning and adjust seasoning as
needed.

Form into meatballs the size of walnuts and saute until brown. Drain on
paper towels and then add to a pot of chicken broth.

Simmer for 40 minutes until tender.

Remove meatballs from broth. Strain broth and reserve 1 1/2 cups.
Return broth to stove and bring to a boil.

Beat egg yolks and egg with lemon juice and slowly whisk the hot broth
into egg mixture.

Return sauce to sauce pan and heat on low stirring until sauce
thickens. Do not bring to a boil.

Add meatballs and continue to heat until meatballs are hot and coated
with sauce.

MMMMM..I can vouch for Ann's Swedish Meatballs. Best I've ever had/made!

Linda

"This makes for a much more tender meatball. I dislike immensely the texture of meatballs that are served immediately after just baking or frying.

Ohh, Ann, not me. I love them right out of the frying pan, no crumbs. I have taken to putting half the batch in the sauce to simmer so as to flavor the sauce and the meatballs, and serving the other half in a bowl without sauce. I do the same with the sausages, but all the fried pork chops go in the sauce.

Sherry

Sherry : Remember the saying,
Different Strokes for different folks.

You can fry your meatballs, I'll bake them,
or drop them into the Sauce raw.

I like meatballs just baked with nothing.
That's how I make my Italian Hamburgers.

Some folks don't like to eat meatballs, that are just baked or fried.

Some of us can't get past the old folks way of cooking
certain things and try something new.

Remember what Jame Bond said " Live and let live " LOL!
LOU

I make meatloaf more often since Lou shared his mixer method for mixing. It's so much neater. (Thanks, Lou!)

I always use beef for my meatloaf along with chopped onions, sometimes chopped green pepper, an egg and either cracker crumbs, cornflakes or oatmeal. Sometimes I use tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel) or some crushed tomatoes, never tomatoey (is that a word) stuff on top. I've also used Annie's Salsa, shucks it goes with everything! I like meatloaf freeform, in a dish or pan so it is crusty on all sides. I have used Italian seasoning or just salt. I may try bacon on top next time and I'll probably read all the recipes again and come up with my own thing in the process. Some things I don't care for are mushy food, red rare meat (don't even like to see pictures of it) and I've never been a real fan of ketchup. Don't usually like gravy unless it's sausage gray over biscuits for breakfast. That being said, I'm really not a picky eater just don't like some of the extras...let the food stand on it's own.LOL

jude

Sherry, I tried meatloaf and meatballs for years, different recipes and different sauces and different methods of cooking. I discarded recipe after recipe, then I decided that it was me, that I just couldn't make a decent meatloaf/meatball. My girls kept saying how good they were and I just kept trying. One day it dawned on me, I just don't like ground meat. I don't like the texture, no matter how it's cooked. So, it wasn't a bad recipe and it wasn't my technique, I just don't like meatballs or meatloaf.

My girls still love both, as do the grandkids, so I make 'em, but I'm not eating them!

Annie

Another who uses Mammas Meatball recipe as posted by Annie they are so good and so tender! I only use 3 eggs though. I fry mine and simmer in the sauce before eating. If I'm freezing them I freeze them before simmering.

My best meatloaf recipe is in my head and pretty much changes every time I make it.

I've found the one trick to a great tender meatloaf or meatballs is to not overwork the meat mixture. Mix just until the ingredients come together and don't pack the mixture too tightly.

I have recently discovered that a bit of sour cream in my meatloaf mixture gives me just the softer texture that's been alluding me for years...it's a tenderizer sorta like buttermilk for chicken. I now love meatloaf.

/tricia

What a great tip Tricia! I'll try it next meatloaf.....which after this thread may be sooner rather than later!

Chase: I have been doing that for years, until I tried
mixing in the KA mixer.
I use an Ice Cream dipper to measure and pack the meatballs.

They are tender and the Paddle beater removes all the Gristle.

Been using the KA ever since.
LOU

Tricia

You know what is funny.... my dear father who has been gone almost 20 years was never a cook, until he and my mom divorced. He used the Fanny Farmer cookbook as his guideline and used to make changes and adaptations as he saw fit. One of his discoveries was when he was making meatloaf and discovered he was out of milk, he used sour cream instead. The results were so good he never went back to milk!

Yep Sour Cream in meatloaf is outstanding.

Alexa

I forgot about this one until jsut now.... hope no one minds a late entry!

Bacon Mushroom Swiss Meatloaf

"This meatloaf is full of flavor, and a delicious twist on an old favorite. Bacon, onions, mushrooms, and Swiss cheese are added to ground beef and baked to perfection."
INGREDIENTS:
12 ounces chopped raw bacon
1 large white onion, chopped
8 oz mushrooms, chopped
1 1/2 pounds extra-lean ground beef
1 egg
1/4 cup sour cream
6 ounces shredded Swiss cheese, divided
1/2 cup Pepperidge farm stuffing mix

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place bacon in a skillet and cook over medium heat until the pieces are browned. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels. Discard all but 1 teaspoon of bacon grease. Stir in onions and mushrooms, and cook until soft. Remove from heat.
3. In a large bowl, stir together beef, egg, pepper and sour cream. Stir in the onion and mushrooms. Mix in about 4 ounces of Swiss cheese, and all but 1 tablespoon of bacon. Stir in stuffing mix, and mix until well blended. Shape into a loaf, and place in a meatloaf pan.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour. Drain fat, and sprinkle with remaining cheese and bacon. Return to oven, and bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

I don't make meatballs or meat loaf much any more but I am from the Lou school of cooking them by dropping them in the sauce without baking or browning first.

I've made AnnT's Magnolia Meatloaf and Greek Meatballs multiple times and they're so good.

The ingredients for my basic meatballs and meatloaf vary with my mood but I always mix the bread, liquids and other ingredients first and then add the meat. I think the bread or other "filler" like oatmeal is an integral part of meatloaf and holds the moisture and flavor throughout the loaf.

Alexa, that sounds wonderful... I might toss in a handful of parsley too as that's not a lot of the stuffing mix compared to the amount of other stuff.
And "drain the fat"...yep, there is always some extra fat when I bake a meatloaf. Unless you use 95% lean meat, there just is...
And that's why I stopped cooking meatballs in the sauce. I don't like the "oil slick" on top, I much prefer to be able to drain some of the fat before adding the meatballs to the sauce.

I have made this recipe twice now and both times we thoroughly enjoyed it. It's true, the bottoms were brown. But my stomach didn't care.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Tasty-Baked-Meatballs/Detail.aspx

I have used this meatloaf recipe many, many times and it has good flavor and stays together very well. It is my go-to recipe.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Easy-Meatloaf/Detail.aspx

Hope this helps. By the by on the meatballs as written that recipe makes three dozen. And I have frozen them after cooking with good results. Last night I scaled it down to use with one pound of hamburger. Yum.

Kate

Oh boy. Now I've got a taste for meatloaf and I've already taken chicken out of the freezer! Ah well, there's always tomorrow.

I'm very excited because I just found out my brother and my SBSIL (should be sister in law) are coming out in August, so she'll finally be able to teach me how to make her meatballs...they are the BEST.