Here are two meatloaf recipes from one of the cookbooks I've written. They give some idea of how versatile meatloaf can be. Enjoy.
Seeeeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North
Mexican Volcano:
You'll wow the crowds, and give yourself some idea your own
artistic ability. The flavor is South of the Border. The theme
is fun. Award winning Balderson Aged Cheddar adds flavor to
the dish while Mozzarella creates visual effect.
Your family and friends will be amazed by your creativity, and the quality of the meat-loaf. In this recipe, we use bread crumbs to increase the volume while maintaining flavor and texture. Thus, you save money without sacrificing quality.
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. bulk Mexican Chorizo (or Italian sausage)
1 tbs. chili powder
1/2 tbs. cayenne pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh Jalapeno peppers
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup ketchup
3/4 cup enchilada sauce, or salsa
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup Balderson 2 year old Medium Cheddar Cheese (or other artisan medium cheddar)
1 large egg
Preheat the oven to 375'- F.
Remove the Chorizo from its
casing. Mix together the ground beef, Chorizo, chili powder, cayenne pepper, jalapeno peppers, egg, Balderson Cheddar, and bread crumbs. Knead together until well mixed. Lightly grease a 12" square casserole dish and place the meat mixture into it.
Shape the mixture into a volcanic mountain with valleys and
cliffs. Show off your hidden artistic talents. Create a crater in the top suitable for about a 1/4 cup of sauce. Place the “volcano” into the oven, with a meat thermometer inserted to the center.
Cook for 45 minutes. Check the thermometer. When the
internal temperature reaches 175'- F., remove from the oven.
Pour the sauce into the crater, making sure that rivulets of
sauce run down the mountain sides. Place strands of Mozzarella
cheese shreds onto the rivulets and in the crater to mimic the
glowing hot lava. Place in the oven until the cheese melts
slightly. Remove from the oven and place onto a serving
platter. Slice into eight equal wedges and serve with little
men made from toothpicks and Vienna sausage and toothpicks
(half covered by lava). Make trees with Broccoli to finish the
hapless village. Your kids will love it, and your guests will
gasp with delight. (Omit the little men if you want. That
might be a bit much).
*
Meat Loaf
The common meat loaf is as complicated, or as simple as you
want to make it. Reactions from people tend to be extreme;
either they love or hate meat loaf. Again, we are working with ground beef, or a combination of ground beef and ground pork, and maybe a filler such as bread crumbs. If cooked wrong, meat-loaf can be as dry as sawdust, with about as much flavor. But done properly, it drips with
flavor-rich juices.
There are those who claim that adding filler, such as bread or cracker crumbs, dilutes the flavor and contributes to a dry end result. From experience, I can say with certainty that they are wrong. The moisture content of meat loaf is regulated by the final temperature when removed from the oven, the amount of water and natural fats contained in the pre-cooked meatloaf mixture, and other ingredients, such as green peppers
and onions.
Of course, if you add too much filler, it can turn your dish
into a dry, bland meatloaf with an uncanny resemblance to
sawdust. However, the same thing can occur by using meat which
is too lean. Meatloaf, like all other cooked products, relies
on the proper ratios of ingredients, and on cooking skills.
Remember though, as you begin to add other ingredients, the
mixture must have enough moisture and body to bind together.
That is, it shouldn't fall apart. Biding agents act like glues
to hold the ingredients together. They include flour, eggs,
and various starches. Also, finely chopped vegetables work
better in meatloaf.
This is a basic recipe that is tasty and simple to make. Once you master the basic recipe, you can tailor it to you tastes with ingredients such as tomato chunks, diced mushrooms, various herbs and spices, chopped onion, chopped peppers, etc. You can omit the filler if you desire. But remember, the filler is what gives meat-loaf it-s delicate texture. Meat-loaf can be part of a gourmet feast when prepared properly. For this recipe, we will provide a touch of Western flavor.
Ingredients:
Meat mixture
2 lb. Ground beef
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Coarsely ground black pepper
1 tsp. fresh Cilantro leaves
1 tbs. Chili powder
1/2 tsp. Colgin brand Liquid Mesquite Smoke flavoring
1 large egg
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
Sauce
1 cup tomato sauce
1 tbs. Chili Powder
1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
1/2 small Yellow Onion, chopped
1/4 tsp. Tabasco Sauce
1 tsp. Sugar
Preheat the oven to 375'-F. Mix the meat-loaf ingredients
together in a bowl. Press into a lightly greased loaf pan.
Place in the oven and cook for 45 minutes with a meat
thermometer inserted in the loaf center. Check the meat loaf
and remove when the temperature reaches 165'-F.
While the meat loaf is cooking, mix the sauce ingredients
together in a suitable pan and cook over medium heat for ten
minutes. Remove from heat and let rest.
When the meat loaf is done, remove from the oven and ladle
enough sauce over the top to cover. Place back in the oven and
cook for another ten minutes.
Remove the meat loaf from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with a good Mexican Salad and tomato salsa. Ladle remaining sauce over the meat loaf slices.
For basic meat loaf, leave out the smoke flavoring, Cilantro,
and chili powder.
that I could make for my daughter and possibly eat myself. 
