I love this dish because it is a fix it and forget it meal. I usually make a salad to go along with it, but other than that, the rest of your meal is in one LARGE pan, which means fewer dishes to wash! Those of you who know me well know that I HATE...no DESPISE, washing dishes! I have always told Peter I want to hire someone to come in and clean up the kitchen after I finish cooking a meal. How much do you think that would cost me?... Ok, sorry about my dish washing rant. Anyway, I love this recipe. Let me give you a couple of tips to make it a little easier:
1.Take your ground beef out of the fridge about an hour before you start mixing your meat loaf. Otherwise your hands will be freezing while you are mixing the meat. I learned this the hard way. My fingers were so cold they were hurting!
2. Buy a 10.5 x 14.75 glass baking dish! Otherwise you will not be able to fit all of the potatoes, onions and carrots you will want to eat around the meat loaf.
1.5 lbs. ground beef
1/3 cup bread crumbs or 6 saltine crackers
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup milk
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tsp. worchestire sauce
4-6 medium potatoes
2 medium onions
small bag of baby carrots
Sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1-2 Tbsp. brown sugar
Using your hands, mix ground beef, bread crumbs, salt, milk, pepper, ketchup and worchestire sauce. With wet hands, shape into a loaf in the center of a 10.5 x 14.75 glass pan. (You can use a 9 x 13 but you will not be able to fit as many potatoes, onions and carrots around the meat loaf. So I recommend using a larger pan.) Slice 2 medium onions, set aside. Peel and slice 4-6 medium potatoes. Place slices of potatoes, onions and carrots around the meat, starting with potatoes first. Sprinkle each layer with salt and pepper. Pour about 1/2 cup (1/4 cup if using 9 x 13) of water over the potatoes, onions and carrots. Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour. Remove meatloaf from oven and uncover. Mix 1/2 cup ketchup and 1-2 Tablespoons of brown sugar. (I kind of eyeball this, so if you think you need more sauce or would like it to be sweeter just adjust it to your taste.) Spread over meatloaf and bake uncovered for 10 minutes. Enjoy!