<TheGolfersWife> wrote in message
...
>I have been trying (very hard!) to find a good tasty meatloaf recipe
> that will cut well when cold for sandwiches, as well as being served
> hot when first made - with brown meat gravy. We do not like heavy
> tomato sauce poured over the meatloaf, either after or during the
> cooking process, nor spicy additives such as chilli or cayenne.
> Don't mind some mustard and worcestershire sauce, but not too much.
>
> I guess I will need to use sausage meat as well as ground beef to get
> a good cutting consistency. I would like to put small diced carrot
> and peas in the mixture and of course a tablespoon of tomato paste and
> dried mixed herbs to season up the mixture.
>
> If anyone can help me with this most unusual meatloaf request I would
> be grateful.
>
>
> The Golfer's Wife

Meat Loaf is as varied as there are people who make it.

Generally there are basic ingredients.

Meat = Usually ground beef although a mixture of meats is preferable.
Vegetables = onion, garlic, bell pepper and about anything else you can thin of.
Filler = Bread, breadcrumbs, oatmeal, cereal etc.
Liquid = Milk or water or wine or tomato juice or, or, or,
Binder = Egg
Fat = contained on the meat and egg yolk.
Flavor enhansors, spices and herbs.

Now it is ratio of all of the above that determines the texture. If you are to
mix the meat then use ground pork not sausage as the sausage is generally
highly seasoned. Try not to use ground beef that is too lean this will cause
the texture to be too crumbly. IMHO you should have at least 10 to 15 % fat.
Don't use too many vegetables, the more you use the more crumbly the texture and
be sure to mince the vegetables finely. I generally use 1 egg per 1 to 1.5
pounds of meat and the equivalent of 2 slices of bread.

Dimitri

Here is the Quaker Oats Basic.

Prize-Winning Meat Loaf

(1 1/2 lb)lean ground beef
(1 cup)tomato juice
(3/4 cup)Quaker® Oats (Quick or One Minute, uncooked)
1egg or 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
(1/4 cup)chopped onion2 mL
(1/2 tsp)salt (optional)
(1/4 tsp)pepper

Instructions:
Heat oven to (350°F). Combine all ingredients; mix lightly but thoroughly. Pat
into (8 by 4 inch) loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until meat is no longer pink
and juices run clear. Drain; let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Mix-Ins: Customize meat loaf by adding one of the following mix-ins with meat
loaf ingredients; proceed as directed above.

(1/2 cup) - frozen (thawed) or canned corn (drained)

(1/2 cup) - chopped green or red bell pepper

(One 2.5 ounce jar) - sliced mushrooms, drained

(1/3 cup) - grated Parmesan cheese

(2 tbsp) - finely chopped parsley or cilantro
Toppings:

Sprinkle with (1 cup) shredded cheese after removing meat loaf from oven and
draining; let stand five (5) minutes before serving.

Spoon ready prepared spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce or salsa over each serving.
Yield: 8 servings.