not bread... usually oatmeal, eggs, ketchup, or bbq sauce.. and/or mustard. onions.. sometimes I add milk

I used to soak bread in milk... not anymore

DH adds breadcrumbs but I prefer oatmeal. I also use tomato juice, egg and onion with a little ketchup on top.

one time I cleaned the fridge I added green beans,maccaroni,little bit of everything ,IT WAS THE BEST I EVER ATE>>>>HOW ...dont remember,
Now my mother use to make meat loaf burgers they were good.
I have one you make topping for ketchup,brown sugar,it puts a crust on top mmmm.
a little melted butter and rice I like.

Oatmeal and tomato sauce for me. A topping of tomato sauce, brown sugar, vinegar and mustard

Oatmeal,tomato sauce,egg and a packet of Lipton onion soup mix.

That's the plain basic one I use.

I add 1 egg to the meat mixture, Italian bread crumbs and just enough milk to bind it together. I then add the onions, garlic and diced green pepper, and salt and pepper. Before I put the meatloaf in the oven I top it with jam which makes a nice crispy glaze when it comes out of the oven. Sometimes I mix the jam with a little ketchup or bbq sauce.

Anne

Also sometimes I add worcestershire sauce or a dollop of prepared horseradish for more intense flavour.

Anne

I always like to mix meats in my meatloaf and seldom make it the same way twice. Sometimes I like more of a pizza/Italian flavor and others more of a plain traditional beef/meat flavor. I'll use onion soup, onion powder, minced onion or onion salt if I don't have fresh onion but I think real onion adds a lot. Sometimes if I have some green pepper and/or celery, that's great. Egg of course but if I don't have any, it'll still work.

I've used various fillers. Cracker crumbs, breadcrumbs, bread, ground pretzels, oatmeal and have used combinations before too.

For moistures, I've used spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce, BBQ sauce, steak sauce, milk, beer, combinations and other things like teriyaki, worsteshire and soy sauce.

I've tried topping it with ketchup, bacon or onion but usually I just prefer to let it cook naturally. I don't like a bunch of sugar on meats and vegetables and I like gravy with my meatloaf, not a ladle of ketchup.

Most always seasonings will include lemon pepper, garlic and dry mustard.

What's great about meatloaf is there's no one perfect recipe. You can change it and adapt it to your mood. It's hard to mess it up as long as you don't burn it or undercook it too much. By its nature meatloaf is simple and easy. You can add vegetables too. Experiment and keep track of what you did and how you liked it.

One thing I've found is the more you work it and firmer you try to pack it, in or out of a pan, the more dense it'll be in the end. If you mix and stir it gently and gently form it or put it in a pan it'll be more tender and crumbly. And the amount and types of fillers will make a difference too.

So try some things and see what you like.

The best one I ever ate was Martha Stewart's mothere's recipe. It takes shredded carrots so it is a little above basic.

I use ground meat, a couple of eggs (or faux eggs), medium can of tomato sauce, a little Worchestersire, Stovetop stuffing for the breading, and squirt a little ketchup on top.

I have started using a box of beef stove top type dressing in mine. Chopped onions, egg and tomato sauce. I really like the boxed dressing as it has great flavor!

I use the hamburger meat, a pack of onion soup mix, diced green pepper, (and I sometimes add hot peppers)egg, Old Fashion oats, and tomato paste.

I don't make meatloaf too often, but I like using a bit of ground pork and hamburger. I like cracker crumbs, onions, maybe celery and sweet peppers, some pepper, a good dash of Worcestershire sauce and ketchup and don't for get the egg. Across the top lay a few slices of bacon. The brown sugar, ketchup and mustard topping is good too. I have even put finely chopped zucchini in it too and it makes it nice and moist. I love a good meatloaf.

Sue

I use hamburger, onion, an egg, bit of milk, bread crumbs and put homemade chili sauce in, and on top. I've made it this way for years and we love it.
I've had meatloaf that was so dry and tasteless. We like the chili sauce added to it.

Like Marilyn Sue I use ground beef and ground pork, then I add whatever I find! Usually lipton beefy onion soup, eggs, oatmeal or bread (if I need to use it up), green bell pepper, V8 if I have it or tomato sauce, marjoram, rosemary, garlic.

I made Paula Deen's bacon cheeseburger meatloaf last week, it was really good but WOW!! I bet that it is hard on the arteries!

I add a can of Rotel tomatoes and green chilis to mine and always get raves about my meatloaf.

Thank you all for posting these recipes. My hamburger is thawing, now to decide which ones to try - or just use a combination of each.

You have probably already made your meatloaf, eaten it and cleaned up after, but, for the next time, I'll post one of my faves. I use lean Hamb. egg, chopped onion and celery, a little grated carrot (for color) I mix up chicken bouillon in some warm water, bread crumbs and poultry seasoning and an egg. This is kind of like a stuffing losf, and Hubs likes it a lot. Dottie

No, hamb. was put out last night (in fridge) and still is hard as a rock (will have to thaw it a bit in microwave later I think); but I like your idea of chicken bouillon. That would definitely give it flavor.

Not exactly a basic meat loaf recipe but it's so good. Men love it. It sounds like a lot of work but it isn't really.

2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup tomato juice
2 TBS snipped parsley
1/4 tsp salt
1 small clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup soft bread crumbs
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
2 lbs lean ground beef
6 oz. shredded Mozzerella cheese
8 thin slices boiled ham
3 slices Mozzerella cheese, halved diagonally

Combine first 8 ingredients- Stir in ground beef- mix well.
On foil or waxed paper pat meat to 12 by 10" rectangle. Arrange ham slices on top, leaving a small margin aroud edge. Sprinkle shredded cheese on ham. Starting from short end, carefully roll meat, using foil to lift. Seal edges. Place roll, seam side down, on baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees, about 1 hour, 15 minutes or till done. Center will be pink due to the ham. Place cheese wedges over top- bake till melted.

About 1 # ground beef
salt/pepper to taste
1 egg
about 1 c milk
bread crumbs
ketchup
bbq sauce
onion--powder, flakes, chopped fresh whatever

Mix together, put in pie plate, cover with plastic wrap-vented, microwave on high about 18 minutes.

I just got this recipe from my brother-in-law. I always have a problem with the loaf falling apart, but this held together and makes great sandwiches. I highly recommend beef with a low fat content; otherwise the brown sugar/ketchup mixture will be greasy.

JIMMY'S BROWN SUGAR MEATLOAF

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1-1/2# ground meat
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1-1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 small onion (diced)
1/4 tsp ginger
3/4 cup saltine cracker crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease loaf pan.
Press brown sugar on bottom of loaf pan. Spread ketchup on top of the sugar. Mix all other ingredients together and place on top of ketchup. Bake for 1 hour. Let sit a few minutes and flip the pan over so the sauce is on top.

Microwave meatloaf?! I love it. And thanks gmom for sharing your recipe; but I've already done the deed (will save all recipes though) and I gotta tell ya'.

First, I bought Sweetened Condensed milk instead of Evaporated Milk (!) and discovered my mistake after I poured some on the bread and bread crumbs in the bowl. Uh-oh. "Mom! Condensed milk isn't the same as evaporated is it?" "No, dear". Hang up the phone, scoop as much of the thick creamy sweet stuff off bread crumbs.

So I ended up using some skim milk I had in the fridge cause the roads are ice and I didn't want to go to the store. Then I added onions, the milk-soaked bread, 1 egg (altho it turned out to be a double yolk)and then went to the spice cupboard and gathered up some hopefuls: dry mustard, marjoram, oregano, salt and pepper. Threw them in. For the topping I mixed yellow mustard and ketchup, but didn't have the honey I thought I had; so - ready? - I remembered the bag of frozen egg rolls had some packets of sauce in there. Squeezed a couple of those into the topping mix as well. Put it in the oven, and girls it smells wonderful in the kitchen right now.

There's just something about meatloaf isn't there? "C" for comfort. Thanks again, all.

I make mine with ground beef, a can of French onion soup,1 egg, bread crumbs.Salt and Pepper to taste. Sometimes I top it with green pepper slices. It is easy and y husband loves it. He always likes it the next day as a meatloaf sandwhich.