Meatloaf

Ingredients:
Brown Sugar - Ketchup Glaze:

• 1/2 cup ketchup or chili sauce
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons cider vinegar or white vinegar

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion , chopped medium
• 2 medium cloves garlic , minced
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1/2 cup whole milk or plain yogurt
• 1 pound ground beef chuck
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1/2 pound ground veal
• 2/3 cup Saltine crackers , crushed (about 16), or quick oatmeal, or 1 1/3 cups fresh bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
• 6 - 8 ounces bacon , thin sliced (8 to 12 slices, depending on loaf shape)

For the meat loaf: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in medium skillet. Add onion and garlic; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool while preparing remaining ingredients.

Mix eggs with thyme, salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, pepper sauce, and milk or yogurt. Add egg mixture to meat in large bowl along with crackers, parsley, and cooked onion and garlic; mix with fork until evenly blended and meat mixture does not stick to bowl. (If mixture sticks, add additional milk or yogurt, a couple tablespoons at a time until mix no longer sticks.)

Turn meat mixture onto work surface. With wet hands, pat mixture into approximately 9-by-5-inch loaf shape. Place on foil-lined (for easy cleanup) shallow baking pan. Brush with half the glaze, then arrange bacon slices, crosswise, over loaf, overlapping slightly and tucking only bacon tip ends under loaf, (see illustration 1, below).

Bake loaf until bacon is crisp and loaf registers 160 degrees, about 1 hour. Cool at least 20 minutes. Simmer remaining glaze over medium heat until thickened slightly. Slice meat loaf and serve with extra glaze passed separately.

Servings: 6
Time to Prepare: 1 1/2 hours including baking time

Submitted By: Betsy
Original Source: The Best Recipe

Additional Comments:
LauraM - Very yummy. The glaze is perfect and my hubby AND kids ate it up!

Nicole - I tossed all meatloaf recipes after trying this one. This is now our standard and all others pale in comparison - it's wonderful! Great for company, too. They'll tell you it's better than "Mom's"!

Abby - I love this recipe! I have never been a big fan of meatloaf until now.