For a light, fluffy meat loaf, use coarsely ground meat. Spoon the mixture into the pan and do not pack it down. Finely chopped ingredients will make a dense loaf. Use ground beef, pork, ham, or veal, or combine two or more meats.
Basic meat loaf
To 1 pound of ground meat, add 1 cup loosely packed bread crumbs soaked in ‘/2 cup milk or broth with 1 beaten egg. Add 2 tablespoons minced onion, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon prepared mustard, and 3 tablespoons ketchup; blend well. Place in a deep roasting pan and shape into a loaf. Or pack the mixture into a loaf pan. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour or until the juice runs clear. Favorite toppings are tomato sauce, barbecue sauce, or ketchup.
Variations
Add minced or grated carrots, scallions, chives, celery, or green pepper, alone or in any combination. Flavor with fresh or dried herbs such as parsley, oregano, or thyme. Vary the size and shape of your loaves, too. To make a stuffed meat loaf, place three hard-cooked eggs end to end inside the meat; or layer the meat with blanched spinach or carrots. Five minutes before you take the loaf out of the oven, arrange sliced green peppers, mushrooms, olives, or capers on top; or spread 1/4 cup grated cheddar over it.
To get more servings from a loaf, add 1 cup grated potatoes, cooked rice, or bulgur wheat to the meat mixture. Blend thoroughly.