Easy Meatloaf Recipe

Photo Danilo Alfaro Preheat oven to 350F. Cut the bread into cubes and combine it with the milk (or tomato juice) in a bowl. Mash it up until it forms a thick paste. Saut the onions, celery and garlic in a little bit of oil until the onions are translucent. Remove from heat and set aside so that they have a chance to cool. In a large bowl, combine the ground meat with the egg and parsley. Add the bread mixture and the onion-celery-garlic mixture and combine until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. I find my bare hands are best for this. Gently transfer the meatloaf to a loaf pan. Don't pack the meat into the pan too tightly. You can smooth the top into a slightly rounded shape. Transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes. While the meatloaf bakes you can mix together the ketchup, brown sugar and vinegar in a glass bowl. Remove from the oven and brush the top of the meatloaf generously with the ketchup glaze. Return to the oven and bake for another 30 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads 160F at the center of the meatloaf. Remove from oven, let cool for 5 minutes and serve in thick slices. Makes 8 servings of meatloaf.