two out of three ain't bad

i'm not ashamed to admit that i love meatloaf. (no, i don't mean the singer, i mean the dish.) there are some who will deny that they, too, enjoy a good meatloaf, but i'm willing to bet big money these same people are the ones responsible for all the missing "pigs-in-blanket" appetizers at parties. it's an eternal mystery how no one will admit to liking those tasty morsels, yet they're always the first disappear. hrm, hrm... now, either i'm eating way more than i realize OR others are also gorging themselves. (ok, so i'm willing to entertain the idea that maybe it's BOTH) *i*, on the other hand, have NO problem fessing up to my love for pastry-wrapped mini hot dogs.

but we were talking about meatloaf.

meatloaf - despite its somewhat yucko name (i mean, really, i don't blame anyone for not finding the word "meatLOAF" very appetizing) - is actually a very tasty food. and leftovers always make for yummylicious sandwiches for lunch later in the week. (mmmmm, meatloaf sammishes, mmmmm) the key to a good meatloaf is to make sure it stays moist. the two ways to do this are 1) make sure your wet : dry ingredient ratio is in balance and 2) don't overbake it. much like you can ruin a great batch of brownies by overbaking, you can do the same to meatloaf.

below is my favorite meatloaf recipe. *sigh* every time i make it, i'm reminded of the apartment i lived in for both my junior and senior years in college (111 dryden rd, for those of you who're familiar with ithaca, ny). it was here that i really started to try to cook things other than desserts and realized i actually enjoyed it. and to think, this was only last year. haha, folks, just kidding. hard to believe it's been over 13 years. (just nod your heads and agree. that's right, it's very hard to believe. now, tell me how young i look. excellent, excellent. ;)


Caroline's Meatloaf
1 lb ground beef (I use meat from Marin Sun Farms)
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup fresh salsa
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350 deg. Combine all ingredients into bowl and mix until well combined (just use your hands, it's the most efficient). Place mixture in a 1-lb loaf pan and shape to fit evenly. Bake for an hour, or until meatloaf registers 160 deg with meat thermometer. Serves 4; serve with salsa instead of the usual (boring) gravy or ketchup. If you're lucky, there might be enough leftovers for a sandwich or two!