Thelma Cady's Meatloaf

I love meatloaf. It is often my order at Cracker Barrel or other southern cooking restaurants. But I am a bit of a purist. Not strange tastes or big items in my meatloaf. I grew up on the recipe below, which was my mother, Thelma Cady's recipe. It has a good meaty flavor and the topping is a great sweet, tomato, mustard contrast that sets it off. You can make it as one loaf in a loaf pan, or in mini loaves if you have the right pans. You can even make individual meatloaves in a muffin pan. That way you can eat one or two and freeze the rest. Bring them out for a quick dinner with a baked potato and salad some night when you have been doing retail therapy all day. Just remember to shorten your cooking time for mini or muffin size meatloaves. Great for meatloaf sandwiches!

Thelma Cady’s Meatloaf Recipe

Meatloaf:
1 ½ lb. ground beef (if I use the very lean beef, I add about 1 Tbsp of olive oil to the mixture)
2/3 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
1 cup milk
2 beaten eggs
¼ cup grated onion
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. dried sage (or 1 ½ tsp. fresh)

Sauce:
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
¼ cup ketchup
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp. dry mustard (or reg. mustard)

1. Mix all ingredients for meatloaf. Place in a loaf pan for cooking. Shape ends and sides with your fingers into a loaf shape.

2. Mix ingredients for the sauce and spread on top of the meatloaf.

3. Cook for 45 min. at 350 degrees. If grease or foam accumulate around the loaf, pour it off carefully about 5 minutes before done, then put loaf back in oven and finish cooking. Cool slightly and slice to serve.