Kellen’s favorite meatloaf

If you have ever had a five year old then you can probably relate to the fact that there aren’t many things they will eat…let alone eat with a willingness or even with a little excitement at that. I remember going through this stage with Kenadie when she was around this age and it would seem that my son is in the same stage now. He likes kid food like pizza, quesadillas, mac n cheese, and burgers. To his credit I should also point out that he will eat pretty much any fruit or veggie you put in front of him, so I realize I may not have too much to complain about.

While I am not opposed to said ‘kid food’ I don’t want to eat that way every night of the week. Enter meatloaf. It is a slight spin from hamburgers and is something Kellen will eat, and eat lots of at that. Meatloaf happens to also be a food where I have found I can sneak extra bits of veggies in, plus it has a somewhat “cheap” factor going for it as well, so pretty much a mom home-run in my play book.

I had always used dried bread crumbs in mine because I’m sure the first recipe I found  called for them and so it just kind of stuck…then one day a few years back I happened to catch  an episode of Tyler Florence’s cooking show.  He happened to be making a meatloaf in this particular episode, and instead of using dried bread crumbs he opted for bread that had been soaked in milk. He pointed out that using dried bread crumbs in a dish you wished to have not dry out didn’t make much sense. This logic seemed legit enough, so every since then I have ditched the dried bread crumbs for regular bread. Admittedly, I have not ever soaked the bread in milk. That has probably always been a combo of laziness and poor planning on my part. So if you happen to try this recipe and you are so inclined to soak your bread in milk, do let me know how that goes!

2 pounds ground beef (feeds our family of 4 with a little left over for lunch)

1/2 cup diced onions

bread cubed in tiny pieces (1 slice/pound of ground beef)

1 tsp garlic powder

2 T Italian seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

1 egg/ pound of meat

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Place meat loaf in a glass baking dish and bake at 350 for about 45 min or until completely cooked in the middle. I usually serve with mashed potatoes and another veggie like steamed or roasted broccoli. You might also try roasted carrots and brussels sprouts..the possibilities are endless and you can customize the flavor profile of the meatloaf to your family’s preference!

*On occasion I will add in green bell peppers and even shredded carrots to the meatloaf.