Saturday Recipe Swap: Ultimate Meatloaf

I married a meat and potatoes kind of man.  So when he looked in the fridge at what I had on hand the other day, he asked if I could make meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and corn on the cob.  Absolutely!  Over the last one-week-short-of-six-years of marriage, I have made many variations of meatloaf for my hubby.  In fact, the first meal I cooked for us after our honeymoon was a meatloaf dinner because Brian had always raved about his mom's meatloaf (I wasn't trying to outdo her meatloaf. I was just trying to make something I knew Brian liked...just to be clear on that subject.).  However, that night, we had some impromptu guests for dinner- my mom and pops-in-law!  A little nerve wracking but nice. 

The recipe for today is not the recipe I cooked that first time, but one I found in the Fall 2006 issue of Kraft Food and Family.  It is super easy, super quick to put together, and super delicious.  I am also going to show you how I based this entire meal around store sales and deals.

Publix was having a sale on their corn on the cob- 10 cobs for $2.  I bought all 10. Publix also had a deal on their Simply Potatoes side dishes- Buy One Get One free.  Those were the two sides that Brian saw in fridge and asked for.  The ground beef was $1.89 per pound and the meatloaf required 2 pounds.  I also used the generic store brand of stuffing mix that the recipe required.  An inexpensive yet delicious dinner for two (Brian and me) and a half (Addie). 

This meatloaf also makes a great meatloaf sandwhich for lunch.  I think that's why Brian asked for meatloaf.  He wanted some meatloaf sandwhiches for lunch!

Easy Pleasing Meatloaf

Prep: 10 min. | Total: 1 hour 10 min.

2 eggs, beaten
2 lb. lean ground beef
1 pkg. (6 oz.) Stove Top Stuffing Mix for chicken (I used pork flavored generic stuffing mix)
1 cup water
1/2 cup Kraft Original Barbecue Sauce, divided

1. Preheat oven to 375* F. In a small bowl, beat eggs lightly with a fork.  This makes it easy to incorporate them into the meat  mixture, so you won't have to overmix.
2. Place lean ground beef, stuffing mix, water, beaten eggs and 1/4 cup barbecue sauce in large bowl.
3. Mix all ingredients with wooden spoon just until blended. (I just took off my rings and mixed with my hands.)
4. Shape meat mixture into an oval loaf in a 13x9-inch baking dish. Using a large baking dish makes it easier to pour out and discard excess fat.
5. Top meatloaf with remaining barbecue sauce.
6. Bake 1 hour or until cooked through (It takes me about an hour and a half).  No need to guess when meatloaf is done cooking; just use a meat thermometer to check that the center has reached 160* F.

Makes 8 servings.