Classic Meat Loaf

This is meat loaf like your mother used to make! The topping is yummy.

Ingredients

Meatloaf

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup soft bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Topping

• 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Measure 1/4 cup tomato sauce; combine with topping ingredients. Set aside.
3. Combine remaining tomato sauce with remaining meatloaf ingredients in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Shape beef mixture into 8 x 4-1/2-inch loaf on rack in broiler pan. Spread topping over meatloaf.
4. Bake for 1 hour, until instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers 160 degrees F.
5. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.
6. Cut into slices.

Total Recipe Time: 1 1/4 hours | Makes 6 servings.

Four-Pepper Meatloaf: Prepare meatloaf as above, adding 1/3 cup finely chopped green bell pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper and 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper to Ground Beef mixture.

Picadillo-Style Meatloaf: Prepare meatloaf as above, omitting thyme and adding 1/3 cup finely chopped green bell pepper, 1/4 cup raisins, 1 teaspoon ground cumin and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed, to Ground Beef mixture.

Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef. Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef doneness.

Reprinted with permission from the Cattlemen's Beef Board.