Mouthwatering Meatloaf

I realize that meatloaf is a kind of retro dish, but trust me when I say that this meatloaf is delish!  It is moist but not mushy, firm but not hard, and very flavorful.  I found it in one of those fund-raiser collaborative cookbooks my mother in-law gave me several years ago, and have loved it ever since.  My husband is also a big fan of this meal, and requests it on a regular basis (along with a big mound of mashed potatoes). 

Serving size: 4

Ingredients:

2 lb ground beef
1 onion diced
1 bell pepper diced
2 eggs
1 sleeve saltine crackers crushed
1 cup ketchup

glaze:

Mix:
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add all ingredients to mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. Place mixture into a loaf pan and cover in glaze.  Bake for 1 hour.

Tips:

I recommend mixing the mixture with your hands.  It is kind of messy, but is really the best method I have found.  For a different twist, try changing up the ingredients a bit.  I have tried replacing the bell peppers with sweet peppers, saltines with cheez-its, sausage mixed with beef, and added shredded cheese.  They all turned out pretty good.  I think the cheez-its might have been my favorite addition.  I would also recommend using a ground beef with a little fat in it like a 70/30 blend.  The ultra lean beef makes it a bit dry.    If you have any leftovers, this also makes for a great meatloaf sandwich!

*That is not an actual photo of my meatloaf, but rather a photo that looks similar to mine.  For the actual recipe that goes with the photo click here. I will post my own photo soon.