Everyday Meat Loaf

I always wondered why my grandmother put boiled eggs in the middle of her meat loaf.  I still don't know really, but I have my theories; fertility, luck, additional nutrition.  Meat loaf has a bad rep as one of those frowned upon "common" home style dishes.  I disagree immensely.  Meat loaf is quick and easy.  It's hearty and as flavorful as you want it to be.  Not only are the meat and seasoning combinations endless, but so are the sauce pairings.  Imagine venison and pork meat loaf wrapped in bacon with creole tomato - hamhock glace (I could get $25 dollars a plate at least in some of the restaurants I've worked).  Presently, I have extremely limited means like the rest of you, so I did the best I could with what I had.  We were not disappointed!  That's the beauty of cooking.  We had this with some home made mashed potatoes, a can of green peas, and a can of mushroom gravy that I added the meat loaf drippings to.  Red gravies are fantastic with meat loaf as is the common ketchup based meat loaf sauce.  Left overs make great sandwiches the next day.  So...reintroduce yourself to one of the greatest "common" comfort foods ever!

EVERYDAY MEAT LOAF

PREPARATION

1 LB GROUND ROUND

1 EA EXTRA LARGE BROWN EGG

2 EA EXTRA LARGE BROWN EGG - HARD BOILED

1/4 CUP GUIDRY'S FRESH CUTS SEASONING (TRINITY)

1/4 CUP LEA AND PERRIN'S WORCESTESHIRE SAUCE

1 OZ MILK

1 TSP SALT

1/2 TSP BLACK PEPPER

1/2 TSP GRANULATED GARLIC

1/2 TSP GRANULATED ONION

1/2 TSP DRY MUSTARD

1/2 TSP CHILI POWDER

1 TBSP GREY POUPON DIJON MUSTARD

1 TBSP HEINZ KETCHUP

1 CUP PROGRESSO ITALIAN BREAD CRUMBS

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

• PREHEAT OVEN TO 400 DEGREES
• FILL SMALL SOUP POT 2/3 FULL WITH COLD WATER
• ADD TWO EGGS TO POT
• HEAT ON HIGH UNTIL BOILING
• TIME FOR TEN MINUTES COOKING ON MEDIUM HIGH
• WHILE EGGS ARE COOKING, PLACE ALL OTHER INGREDIENTS EXCEPT BREAD CRUMBS INTO LARGE MIXING BOWL AND MIX BY HAND UNTIL MIXTURE IS WELL BLENDED
• ADD 1/2 CUP OF BREAD CRUMBS AND MIX WELL
• ADD REMAINING CUP OF BREAD CRUMBS AND MIX WELL
• GREASE A 11X9 BAKING DISH WITH COOKING SPRAY
• PLACE MEAT MIXTURE INTO BAKING DISH
• FLATTEN MIXTURE OUT TO APPX 1 INCH THICK RECTANGLE
• ALLOW MIXTURE TO REST FOR APPX 10 MINUTES
• REMOVE FROM HEAT, DRAIN WATER CAREFULLY, AND RUN POT WITH EGGS UNDER COLD WATER TO COOL.
• PEEL EGGS AND PAT DRY
• PLACE EGGS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FLATTENED MEAT MIXTURE END TO END DOWN THE LENGTH OF THE MIXTURE
• ROLL THE MIXTURE END CLOSEST TO YOU OVER THE EGGS AND LIGHTLY TUCK ROLLING UNTIL YOU MEET THE OTHER SIDE
• WITH YOUR HANDS GENTLY FORM THE LOAF BY PRESSING DOWN SLIGHTLY ALONG THE LENGTH AND CUP THE ENDS WITH YOUR HANDS MAKING SURE THE LOAF IS SEALED - THE LENGTH SEAL SHOULD BE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LOAF
• PLACE THE MEAT LOAF IN THE CENTER OF THE BAKING DISH
• ADD 1/4 CUP OF COLD WATER TO THE BAKING DISH
• PLACE IN OVEN UNCOVERED ON MIDDLE RACK FOR 15 MINUTES
• ADD AN ADDITIONAL 1/4 CUP OF HOT WATER TO THE BAKING DISH AND CONTINUE COOKING FOR ANOTHER 15 MINUTES - MEAT LOAF SHOULD BE AT AN INTERNAL TEMPERATURE OF 150 DEGREES
• TAKE MEAT LOAF OUT OF THE OVEN AND LOOSELY TENT WITH ALUMINUM FOIL FOR TEN MINUTES TO REST UP TO A TEMPERATURE OF 160 DEGREES
• SLICE MEAT LOAF INTO 1 INCH THICK SLICES
• YOU CAN USE THE DRIPPINGS IN THE BAKING DISH TO FLAVOR WHATEVER SAUCE OR GRAVY YOU CHOSE TO HAVE WITH THIS

PREP TIME - 45-60 MINUTES

SERVES - 4-6