Mom's Meatloaf or Meatloaf Patties

I always though my mom's meatloaf was great, then when I got married and my hubby said he didn't like meatloaf!  So I made my mom's meatloaf for him and he has been a big fan of meatloaf ever since! 

You could make assemble this recipe the day before, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.  You may need to bake a little longer since the meatloaf will be colder when placing in the oven.  The internal temperature should reach 160 degrees.

Ingredients for Meatloaf:

-1 to 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef

-1 1/2 tsp salt

-1/4 cup chopped onion or 2 tbsp dried onion

-1 egg

-3/4 cup oat meal {I use old fashion; you could also use crushed saltine crackers if you wanted}

-3/4 cup milk

-1/4 tsp pepper

*You could substitute 1/2 packet of onion soup mix for the onion, salt and pepper.

Ingredients for Topping:

-1/3 cup ketchup

-1 tbsp brown sugar

-1 tbsp prepared mustard

*I usually make 1 1/2 to 2 batches of the topping, its a hit with the family!

Process:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place all of the meatloaf ingredients in a medium sized bowl.  Mix well; I find my clean hands are the best tool for this!

3. Place mixture into a lightly greased bread pan, press to even out the top.  OR  For patties, form into the size patties you want and place in a lightly greased baking sheet or dish.  Set aside.

4. In a small bowl mix together the topping ingredients.

5. Pour the topping over the meatloaf or spread over patties.

6. Bake for about 1 hour or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.  If you do patties they will take less time to bake, about 35-45 minutes.

7. Let cool slightly, 5-10 minutes before slicing.  Enjoy!