This recipe was adapted from one I found on a box of instant onion soup mix.  It makes a good week night meal because it goes together quickly, bakes for an hour, and gives you time to unwind after a long day at the office. I use a mixture of half mild sausage and half lean ground beef for a firm texture. Roast some carrots at the same time the meatloaf is baking, make some mashed potatoes and your meal is complete.

 

 

 

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Add ground beef, sausage, eggs, bread crumbs, ketchup & onion soup mix into a bowl.  Mix thoroughly with your hands until it has a smooth consistency.

 

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No loaf pan needed.  This meatloaf has a firm texture so you can just form it into a loaf shape in the middle of a rectangle baking pan that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Before you put it in the oven, prepare some carrots that will roast in the oven at the same time the meatloaf is cooking.

 

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Thoroughly wash some thin carrots.  If you don’t have very thin ones you can just cut regular sized ones in half lengthwise to help them cook quicker.

 

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Place the carrots on a foil lined cookie sheet and pour a little melted butter & olive oil over them.  Add salt and roll the carrots back and forth until they are thoroughly coated.  Place them in the lower rack of the oven the same time you put the meatloaf in the oven.  After cooking them both for 50 minutes, shake the carrots to roll them around some more in the melted butter. Top the meatloaf with a mixture of ketchup & brown sugar and bake another 10 minutes.

 

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When it comes out, I cut it right down the middle to check for doneness.

 

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Before serving cut the carrots into 1 to 2 inch pieces.

 

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Serve with mashed potatoes and your meal is complete.

 

Easy Meatloaf
 
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Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. lean ground beef
  • 1 lb. country sausage
  • 2 eggs
  • ¾ C. bread crumbs
  • ¼ C. ketchup
  • 1 pkg instant onion soup mix
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix with your hands until thoroughly combined.
  3. Form into a loaf in a rectangular baking pan.
  4. Bake 50 minutes
  5. Top with ½ C. ketchup mixed with ¼ C. brown sugar
  6. Bake an additional 10 minutes.
Notes
Serve with mashed potatoes and your favorite vegetable.

 
Roasted Carrots
 
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Carrots have a natural sweetness that comes out when they cook, so there is no need to add additional sweeteners.
Ingredients
  • 6-8 thin carrots
  • 1 T. Butter, melted
  • 1 T. Olive oil
  • Salt
Instructions
  1. Thoroughly wash the carrots, then dry them on a towel.
  2. Place on a foil lined cookie sheet.
  3. Pour melted butter & olive oil over them.
  4. Shake the pan back & forth to coat the carrots well.
  5. Add salt.
  6. Bake on lower rack of oven for 1 hour.
  7. Just before serving cut into pieces.
Notes
The carrots can be roasted at the same time the meatloaf is cooking as they cook the same amount of time.