Not your momma's Meatloaf

I use this blog to post my family recipes - old recipes kept classic or with a slightly tasty twist! BUT my beautiful and loving hubby bought me a new cookbook - from a cook I have just basically fallen in love with! She loves and creates a haven for wild mustangs - which has always been close to my heart as they stand for a freedom and spirit that has long departed most of the human beings in this fast paced life we "enjoy". They represent a spirit that the first nation held with high regard - not trying to break the will and spirit but trying to harness it in a peace that would create a better life for all involved - okay okay - getting off my soap box - and on the the reason you are reading this blog! I hope KNOW that you will love this recipe as much as we do!

Ingredients for the "loaf"
1 cup of milk
6 bread slices (I used pieces straight out of the bread bag)
2 pounds of ground beef (I preferred a pound of ground sirloin and a pound of lean)
1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp seasoned salt such as Lawry's
1/4 to 1/2 cup parsley
4 eggs, beaten
8 to 12 thin bacon slices

Ingredients for the "tomato gravy" (I tweaked this a little - well just a smidge)
1 cup of ketchup
1/2 cup of Cattleman's bar-b-q sauce
6 tablespoons of brown sugar

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Pour the milk over the bread and allow it to soak in for several minutes.

Place the ground beef, milk soaked bread, Parmesan cheese, salt, seasoned salt, and parsley in a large mixing bowl. Pour in the eggs. With clean hands, mix the ingredients until well combined. Form the mixture into a load shape on a broiler pan so that the fat can drain off (I used an aluminum disposable loaf pan and I was left with the fat liquid - which was okay bc I just drained it off - so it's your choice here) I believe the loaf pan kept the meat super moist! If you chose to use a broiler pan - line the bottom with aluminum foil to avoid having to scrub later.

Lay the bacon slices over the top tucking them underneath the meatloaf.

Next make the tomato gravy, pour the ketchup and cattleman's into a small mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar and a splash of hot sauce if you like a little spice! Mix this combination well.

Pour one-third of the tomato gravy over the top of the meat loaf.

I ended up with two loaf pans full - IF you choose this route - be sure to lay the two loaf pans on top of a cookie sheet to catch your overflow of juices!

Bake for 45 minutes... then pour another one third of the remaining tomato gravy over the meatloaf and bake for an additional 20 minutes.

Serve with the remaining tomato gravy on the side as a dipping sauce - Lucy helped me make this sauce and my VERY picky 4 year old exclaimed "Momma this gravy is better than McDonald's chicken nugget sauce (bar-b-q)" coming from a 4 year old - that's HUGE!!!

We had potato cakes, green beans and of course, mac n cheese with this! FYI - Kiss your old meatloaf recipe out with the trash!!