Recipe(tried): Susan's Meat Loaf, Cajun Meat Loaf, Joel's Perfect Meat Loaf from Pam Anderson

Here are my three favorites. Susan's Meatloaf is really easy and can't be beat. The Cajun Meat Loaf is quite spicy, but delicious and Joel's Meat Loaf is really delicious. Each will serve at least 5 people and a little leftover is never a bad thing! If you want more recipes, type "Meat Loaf" into the search here. For best results also click "tried".

SUSAN'S MEATLOAF
Source: The Good Housekeeping Cookbook

2 pounds ground beef chuck
2 large eggs
2 cups fresh bread crumbs (about 4 slices bread)
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons bottled white horseradish
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine ground beef, eggs, bread crumbs, green onions, onion, 1/4 cup ketchup, milk, horseradish, salt and dry mustard just until well-blended but not overmixed.

Spoon mixture into 9-by-5-inch metal loaf pan, pressing firmly. Spread remaining 1/2 cup ketchup on top of loaf.

Bake 1 hour. Let stand 10 minutes to set juices for easier slicing. Makes 8 servings.

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CAJUN MEAT LOAF

seasoning mix:
2 Whole bay leaves
1 Tablespoon salt
1 Teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 Teaspoon white pepper
1/2 Teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 Teaspoon ground nutmeg

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoons Tabasco sauce
1 tablespoons Worcestershire
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup catsup
1 1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup very fine dry bread crumbs

Combine bay leaves, salt, cayenne, black, and white peppers, cumin and nutmeg in a small bowl. Set aside.

Melt butter in a 1 quart saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, celery, green onions, garlic, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce and combined seasonin mixes. Saute mixture until it starts sticking excessively, about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom well. Stir in milk and catsup. Continue cooking about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature.

In a 9x13x2 baking pan, mix ground beef and pork. Add eggs, cooked vegetable mixture and bread crumbs. Mix by hand until thoroughly combined.

In the center of the pan, shape mixture into loaf that is about 1 1/2 inches high, 6 inches wide and 12 inches long.

Bake uncovered at 350 for 25 minutes. Raise heat to 400 and continue cooking 35 minutes longer.

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JOEL'S PERFECT MEAT LOAF
Serves: 6-8
Source: The Perfect Recipe by Pamela Anderson

Brown Sugar-Ketchup Glaze
1/4 cup ketchup or chili sauce
2 Tablespoons light or dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons cider or white vinegar

Meat Loaf
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce
1/2 cup milk, buttermilk or low-fat plain yogurt
1 pound ground chuck
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground pork
2/3 cup quick oatmeal or saltine crackers crushed
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
6-8 ounces thin-sliced bacon (8-9 slices)

Glaze: Mix all ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.

Meat Loaf:

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Heat oil in a medium skillet. Add onion and garlic, and saute until softened, about 5 minutes; set aside to cool.

Mix eggs with thyme, salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire, pepper sauce and milk or yogurt.

In a large bowl add egg mixture to the ground chuck, ground veal and ground pork. Next add the oatmeal or crackers (depending upon what you have decided to add), parsley, cooked onion and garlic; mix with a fork until evenly blended and meat mixture does not stick to bowl. (If mixture does stick, add additional milk, a couple tablespoons at a time, and continue stirring until mixture stops sticking.) Turn the meat mixture onto a work surface. With wet hands, pat mixture into a loaf approximately 9x5 inches.

To bake free-form: Cover a wire rack with foil; prick foil in several places with a fork to allow drainage. Place rack on a shallow roasting pan lined with foil for easy cleanup. Set formed loaf on rack. Brush loaf with all of glaze, then arrange bacon slices, crosswise, over loaf, overlapping them slightly and tucking them under the loaf to prevent curling.

Bake loaf until bacon is crisp and loaf registers 160 F., about 1 hour. Cool for at least 20 minutes. Slice and serve.

To bake in a loaf pan: Omit bacon and double glaze. Turn meat mixture into a loaf pan WITH a PERFORATED bottom, fitted with a drip pan. Use a fork to pull mixture away from pan sides. Brush mixture with half of the glaze. Bake until glaze is set, about 45 minutes. Brush with remaining glaze and continue to bake until second coat has set and loaf registers 160 F about 15 minutes longer.