A Meatloaf You Can't Mess Up

Monday was my last day nannying for the Amor family. Sadness and a little bit of despair (now what?!), but also simple jubilation because the mom presented me with a ginormous basket stuffed with foodstuff goodies AND a six-pack of RedBridge gluten-free beer, which I plan on drinking tonight, 'cause I'm a bit miffed at the hubby, and what better to feel better than a front-porch icy-cold beer, right? Would smoke a smoky stick, too, only I gave that up a long time ago.
Mom Amor did, however, ask that I send her my meatloaf recipe, because it is her family's favorite, and even her picky little nine year old asks for second helpings.
I am going to give you, dear blog reader, my secret You-Can't-Believe-How-Good-This-Meatloaf-Is recipe, too. Super easy; super dependable - this meatloaf comes out perfectly each and every time, and is, truly, very hard to screw up.

Kathleen's Famous-Ass Meatloaf

What you need:
2-lbs ground beef (I use 93/7)
1-sleeve Saltine crackers, crushed
2-eggs
1-bottle Heinz Chili Sauce (or, generic brand) *Reserve a bit - 2 tablespoons - for your glaze ~

What you do:
Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.  Mold into a nice loaf shape and place into a baking dish (I have never used a meatloaf pan in my life and nothing tragic has happened.). Bake in a 350 oven for 45 minutes. Take out, cover with remainder of chili sauce, and return to oven for fifteen minutes.

You're welcome.

Company's comin' ...

In approximately 24 hours I will have five additional people in my home. And, yes, they'll be staying the night, which means that today I must become Helen Homemaker, who is, of course, the mistress of the stripping and the laundering of sheets and the scrubbing of the tubs. She is a dusting doyenne, too, which is a Very Good Thing, considering someone shook a thin layer of talcum powder on the surface of my dining room table and now someone (Hello, Helen!) must swoop in and tidy it up.
It is the Day Before Company Comes that I most regret having wood floors in the entry and sitting room. Those who read this blog know how much I adore vacuuming: A lot. So cleaning the hearth room and bedrooms is not an icky task; to the contrary, I can get some meditation in while the vacuum sucks up all that is sucky.
There's the grocery to attend to as well. Not knowing what people eat is always tricky. To my benefit is the knowledge that all who are coming do, in fact, eat meat, as they are all Nebraska prairie spawn and therefore happy to hunker down to a plate of Something Carnivorous. Considering meatloaf is my specialty, I will bake a big one this evening. I mean, who doesn't like meatloaf? Or, even better, a cold meatloaf sandwich?

************ Kate's Marvelous Meatloaf **************

2 lbs. ground chuck/ 2 eggs/ 1 sleeve crushed Saltines/1 jar Heinz chili
sauce/ mix all into a delightful goo and then bake in a 350 oven for
approximately 60 minutes. (I pour ketchup over the top about 45 minutes
in; ketchup is a Midwestern thing, akin to using Miracle Whip
and ranch dressing whenever possible.)

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To put an additional smile on Helen Homemaker's oh-so-happy face, there will be much playing of the soundtrack of "Mama Mia," which I saw recently and adored from the very beginning. I highly recommend that any woman over forty attend a viewing of this remarkable film. Yeah, I said it: film. It's just that good!