Meatloaf!

Don't you just love meatloaf? I do. It's one of my family's favorite suppers. In the summer, I often make it out on the grill, keeping the coals off to one side to be sure it cooks evenly.

My meatloaf recipe is very similar to the one I use to make meatballs (click here for that recipe) but it does have a few changes:

• I leave out the Italian cheese and the chopped bell pepper and mix the meats together with just the onion and a single egg.
• Instead of Italian seasoning, I mix freshly chopped parsley, salt, and pepper with the bread crumbs, and then combine the crumbs and the meat.

When the meat mixture is thoroughly combined, I form the whole thing into a rectangular loaf, and use my fingers to create a rectangular depression in the top of it, about half an inch deep or so. Then I fill that depression up with ketchup, put the loaf on a rack in a baking dish, and slide it into a preheated 350 F oven for about an hour and a half.

It comes out browned and crispy all around with a moist and juicy interior (this is why I don't use a loaf pan when I make meatloaf) and the ketchup cooks down to thick tangy/sweet tomato glaze on top.

I usually make mashed potatoes and open a can of corn to go with it. It's a perfect combo.