There are many food dishes that are American in nature. Most of them contain good wholesome food that is not difficult or time consuming to prepare. Meatloaf is one of the traditional American recipes that you might wish to try.
Meat Loaf
There are many ways to make meatloaf. You can change a few ingredients to make your meatloaf unique to your family's tastes. Meatloaf is perfect for busy cooks that do not have all day to prepare a good meal. Here are the basic ingredients and instructions.
Meatloaf Ingredients
1. Twelve ounces (340 grams) of Ground beef - you can use very lean ground beef and it will be less greasy.
2. One half cup (120 milliliters) ketchup - you can also use one half can of condensed tomato soup.
3. Six ounces (170 grams) of sausage or ground pork - you can use all ground beef if you wish. If so, use about eighteen ounces (510 grams).
4. One half cup (75 grams) onion that is chopped
5. One slice of bread - toast the bread slightly and crumble it. 3/4 cup (45 grams) dried bread crumbs will work too. Feel free to use 3/4 cup or 45 grams of crushed corn flakes, also.
6. Two tablespoons (10 milliliters) milk
7. One egg or two egg whites
8. Spices - you may wish to add parsley, basil, black pepper or mustard. These are optional and will vary according to your tastes.
Cooking Instructions
Make sure that you preheat your oven to 350F (177C). If using bread, turn it into crumbs in a food processor. Mix the bread crumbs and milk together in a mixing bowl. Add the ketchup and let this stand for a few minutes to allow the liquid to absorb into the bread crumbs. Add the meat, egg, onion, and spices and mix well in the bowl. Spray a nine inch by five inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. If you use metric, the pan will be about 23 cm by 13 cm. Bake the meat until it is 160F or 72C inside. This will usually take about one hour. Let it stand for fifteen minutes before you slice it.
To make a complete meal, bake carrots and potatoes at the same time. Spray a shallow baking pan with cooking spray. Cut some potatoes and carrots in large pieces and coat them with olive oil. You may sprinkle the potatoes with dehydrated onion, if you desire. Bake until the vegetables are soft. The vegetables should be done at about the same time that the meat is.
Summary
Meatloaf is one of many traditional American recipes that you may wish to try. It is tasty and nutritious and is not too difficult to prepare. Do not forget to prepare vegetables with your meat.