Boozy Meatloaf

Getting my family to be excited about eating meatloaf is usually a terrible task. "What are you making for dinner?" is the usual question around 5 o'clock and the only safe answer is "Something delicious". This is my usual answer so as to avoid pre-dinner groans and complaints about food that is not yet made.

I had some ground beef that I needed to cook and I decided to make an "everything but the kitchen sink" style meatloaf. I thought about other meatloaves I have tortured my family with in the past and I concluded that the main problem was a lack of flavor and the meat always became dry and boring. So with a dash of this and a splash of that, including some beer from my special "mommy is cooking" drink I came up with the Boozy Meatloaf - a flavorful and moist dish that had my family begging for more. REALLY, they were. Here's the recipe.

Boozy Meatloaf

1 medium onion, diced
1 lb extra lean ground beef
2 eggs
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup beer (light or medium)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 red pepper, diced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, coursely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

Pre-heat oven to 375F. Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well with your fingers. Pour the mixture into a bread pan and bake for 45-60 minutes until bubbling and browned on top. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

This recipe is really easy - it's a one bowl masterpiece that serves about 4 hungry adults and maybe even a bit left over for a lunch or two. Give it a try and let me know what you think.