We moved to Iowa when I started second grade, and I remained there through high school.  For this reason, I consider that most of my formative years were as a midwestern girl.  I was not raised on a farm but grew up in a small Iowa town.  We were not a wealthy family, and my mom often had to stretch a dollar to feed a family of five.

Meatloaf was frequently on the menu for dinner.  Simple to put together and bake in the oven and relatively inexpensive. Her recipe was simple back then using dried onions and crackers in her recipe and the ground beef was probably 70/30.  I have taken mom’s original recipe and amped it up with extra ingredients, replaced the crackers with breadcrumbs and used fresh onion rather than dried onion.

Mom made good meatloaf, and we always seemed to eat it all.  However, in my adult life I find that my palate is craving a more flavorful meatloaf than what I grew up.  So, I have taken her basic recipe and amped it up with ingredients that give the meatloaf an extra kick of flavor.  This recipe comes together easily and can be made in 30 minutes.

Ground beef versus ground sirloin:  Most people would argue that you should use ground beef or chuck which is usually 20-30% fat versus ground sirloin that is usually 10% fat.  I prefer ground sirloin as it has a more luxurious flavor than ground beef does

What to serve with meatloaf:  Growing up mashed potatoes was a staple for side, which when it is cold out, I like the homey comfort that meatloaf and mashed potatoes provides.  Now that I am an adult, I usually make corn or green beans.  Onion rings or fries would also work great for a side dish.