Old-Fashioned Meat Loaf

Scott and I tried this meat loaf recipe last fall and loved the flavor in it.  It uses oats instead of breadcrumbs and comes from Diane Clement’s Zest for Life cookbook.  Diane used to own the Tomato Cafe in the Vancouver, BC area and this was one of her customers’ favorites.  This recipe makes two loaves, or you can half the recipe and make one loaf.  But it’s nice to share with a friend!  Be sure to top with the piquant sauce and serve with mashed potatoes if you like.

Old-Fashioned Meat Loaf

1 medium onion

2 tablespoons butter

3 pounds ground beef, extra lean

3/4 cup cream of tomato soup (I used tomato bisque)

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup Heinz chili sauce

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon HP sauce

Dash Tabasco

3 large eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 cup rolled oats (not the instant variety)

1/2 cup milk

Saute the onion in the butter until golden.  In a bowl, mix together the ground beef, onion mixture, tomato soup, ketchup, chili sauce, mustard, salt and pepper, Worcestershire sauce, HP sauce and Tabasco.  Set aside.

In another bowl, mix together the eggs, rolled oats and milk.  Let stand a few minutes and add to the beef mixture, blending well by hand until thoroughly mixed.  Divide evenly between two 9×5 inch well-greased pans, pressing down well.  Top each loaf pan with about 1 1/4 cup piquant sauce (see recipe below).

Bake in a 375 degree oven for an hour or until the beef is not pink.  Drain off excess juices and serve immediately.

Piquant Sauce

2 cups ketchup

1/2 cup Heinz chili sauce

Generous shot each of Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, and HP sauce

3 tablespoons brown sugar

Blend all ingredients well.

Sweet Notes:  The recipe calls for cream of tomato soup.  I wasn’t able to find cream of tomato soup in our local grocery stores so I tried tomato soup.  Tomato soup made for a crumbly meat loaf – still good, but crumbly.  This last time I tried tomato bisque and that seemed to firm it up a bit.  Enjoy!