Magic Meatloaf

To anyone who's ever read my other blog, the Naked Ledger, it's no news that I suck at budgeting and that the main source of our budget problems stem from our grocery consumption.  We eat a lot, most of it ain't cheap and I'm an absolute NOOB at meal planning.  Even during the weeks in which I remember to plan out our dinners, I barely ever make it to Wednesday before I'm scrounging for meals and running back to the grocery store.  I'm terrible.

That said, I'm on a SERIOUS streak right now.  I've made dinner every. single. night. for going on ten days.  (You can check out what I've been cooking over at The Mom Street Journal.)  I'm not sure yet if our grocery bill is any less, but I'm sure we're eating better.  About a week ago, I had some leftover rice and some defrosted ground beef and I threw together a meatloaf.

Which?  TOTALLY BLEW MY MIND. 

Both my kids - the 20-month-old AND the four-year-old - macked this recipe down like there was no tomorrow.  Genoa ate more of it than *I* did.  And my kids won't even eat rice!  Dave and I literally FOUGHT over who would get to have the leftovers for lunch the next day.  It was that good.  I was shocked since I'd basically thrown it together in less than ten minutes with ingredients I already had laying around.  And it was tasty and easy and moist and awesome.  I ended up making it two more times in less than a week and each time it only seemed to get better. 

So here's the recipe for my magically disappearing meatloaf.  Enjoy.

First off, preheat your oven to 375 degrees, then get out the whoppingly complicated SEVEN ingredients you need to make this meatloaf:

2 eggs
half a cup of SOY VAY ISLAND TERIYAKI sauce (absolutely NO SUBSTITUTIONS!)[If you can't find this ingredient because you live in Australia or something like that, read the bottom of this post for instructions!]
ketchup
Parmesan cheese
Ritz crackers
1.5 cups leftover rice pilaf (my recipe to follow, but you can use whatever cooked rice you have on hand)
1.5 pounds of ground beef (I use 93% lean)

Start off by beating together your two eggs.

Then measure out a half cup of well-shaken SOY VAY ISLAND TERIYAKI.  This is the KEY to this recipe.  If you've never tried Soy Vay, get thee to a Trader Joe's (or most Safeways, Fred Meyer's, etc) and buy some.  It's to die for.  And I mean it when I say no substitutions!  Not even plain old Soy Vay Teriyaki sauce will do.   It has to be  ISLAND TERIYAKI, the one with the surf board and the chopsticks on it.  Trust me.

Combine the teriyaki with the eggs.

Until it's good and mixed.

Then get out your meat tenderizer and a tube of round crackers.  Technically, you could probably get away with using bread crumbs here, but I wouldn't.  Have you ever actually READ the ingredients in those things?  The average can of breadcrumbs could survive a nuclear holocaust.  TOO much crud for me, so I've always just used crushed up crackers or made my own bread crumbs.  The crackers are much easier to do and have a longer shelf life, so that's always the filler ingredient in my recipes.  Also you can use whole wheat just to give your family some fiber.

So, put about 2/3 of the sleeve of crackers into a ziplock bag and start crushing those puppies up.

Make sure you use the flat side of your meat tenderizer or you'll end poking holes in your plastic bag and end up with a big mess.  Yet another noob cooking lesson I learned the hard way.

I usually throw a dish towel on top of the bag just to muffle the noise and make sure I don't accidentally poke any holes in the plastic.

Here's the part where I run off to sit on the bathroom floor while Genoa uses the potty for the umpzillionth time and when I come back, I find that Alex has been "helping" me make dinner.  This is his FAVORITE PART.

Next grate up some Parmesan.

I use a little over half of an 8 ounce block.

Then combine the cheese with the breadcrumbs.  You want the mixture to be about 50% crumbs and 50% cheese.

Then empty most of the bag into the bowl with your egg mixture.  Save about a third of a cup to use for the meatloaf topping.

And whisk that in until it's all combined.

Then add a big squirt of ketchup.

Like so.

Don't forget the ketchup!  It definitely adds some tang to the meat. 

Next get out your leftover rice pilaf.  I keep meaning to take pictures when I cook rice so I can post my recipe, but then I get busy and forget.  Dave and I both love long, firm, white basmati rice.  We like it fluffy, not sticky.

My recipe is as follows:

1.5 cups white basmati
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, grated
2T butter
3T olive oil
2 cups of chicken broth (I usually make my own by boiling a roasted chicken carcass, but you can use any kind you have on hand).

WASH the HECK out of your basmati rice.  It's transported in burlap sacks and if you don't wash it THOROUGHLY, you'll have burlap sack-flavored rice, which is NOT delicious.  I usually throw my mesh colander into a larger bowl and let it soak over and over again in about 8-10 changes of extremely HOT water.  I know it's clean when the water in the bowl is totally clear and the rice is bright white, not translucent.

I throw everything but the chicken broth into my pan and brown everything for about ten minutes.  Then I add the chicken stock, stir and cover the pot and leave it alone on low heat for around 15 minutes.

Anyway, you can use any rice you want.  I think using a pilaf recipe adds flavor AND vegetables to this dish, though, so that's my recommendation.  Measure out a very heaping cup of rice.  Maybe it's a cup and a third of rice, I'm not sure since I suck at measuring.

Add that to your egg/cracker/cheese/sauce mixture.

Then get out about a pound and a half of lean ground beef.  I always buy my meat in bulk because it's cheaper that way (duh!).  When I get home from the store I separate it out into 1.5 pound bags and then flatten them out and freeze them.  The flatter the better because the meat will defrost SUPER fast and then you get to stop telling your husband that he needs to stop at McDonald's on his way home from work because you forgot to take something out of the freezer.

Throw that into your mix.

And use your be-latex-gloved hands to mix it all up thoroughly.

Until it looks like this:

Then, spray the bottom of a loaf pan with cooking spray.

And plop your meatloaf mixture right in there.

Flatten it all down pretty.

And then use the remainder of your cheese/cracker crumbs to make a nice crunchy topping for your lovely loaf.  I actually had some cheese/cracker/parsley mix leftover from when I made my crab-stuffed mushrooms, so I just used that. 

That's it!  You're done. 

Pop it in the 375 degree oven for about 40 minutes.  Hopefully, it will look like this:

The best part is that in the time it has taken you to read this post, you could have made this meatloaf and it could be cooking in your oven RIGHT NOW.  I wish I could tell you that I have more pictures of what the slices looked like, but I was too busy shoveling this into my pie hole to remember to take any.  Sadly there isn't any left to photograph.  The slices barely hold their shape and fall apart as your eating them, but that's just because they're so moist and delicious.  Dave took the last of the meatloaf with him to work for lunch today.  But that's okay, I'll probably just make it again in a couple of days.

[Again, if you decide to try this recipe and post a review on your blog, let me know so I can link to you right here.]

[If you can't find Soy Vay Island Teriyaki sauce, you MIGHT be able to make your own.  It's basically a sweet pineapple soy sauce.  I bet if you tried a mix of 50% regular teriyaki sauce and 50% pineapple juice, you might get close.  Let me know if you make your own!]

Comments

[Tana]

I am so glad you posted this!! After you told me about how yummy it was I bought all the ingredients when grocery shopping this week!!! Can't wait to try it!

[Kristin]

This looks soooooo yummy!
I too struggle with planning and prepping for a whole week of dinners.
Your cooking posts rock!

[Jen]

That sounds really good! My husband loves meatloaf so I will absolutely have to try this.

[Carrisa]

I would have never thought to use Teriyaki sauce and rice in my meatloaf. What a great recipe. I am cooking at home all the time now instead of eating out to save money and (hopefully) calories. I planned ten dinners (most of the p-dub's) and then write my grocery list accordingly. Budgeted myself $175... bought NOTHING that wasn't on the list. And came in $25 under budget (receipt photo on flickr)

Now I'm married to a man who hates cheese (especially parmesan) but I might be able to get away with making 2 meatloafs and leaving the cheese out of his. This sounds yummy.

Tell me that you served it with delicious mashed potatoes right?

[Janssen]

Mmm, I love meatloaf. I'll have to try this recipe sometime!

[Emily]

Amanda - I would LOVE it if your sidebar included a running list of your nightly meals and side dishes.

I'm going to try this meatloaf recipe next week. It sounds delicious!!

[Kerri]

Hi ! I need to know why this particular teriyaki sauce is so important, because we do not have it in Australia. So I need to know what the taste is.... PLEASE.
Then I might be able to find a suitable replacement for it! Thanks.

Also, what happened to the cutest nekkid potty picture ever, I looked last night and saw skin and then this morning magically she was fully clothed. She is a super fast learner. first the walking and talking and now the potty? Amazing!

Cheers

Kerri

[Susan]

Must get myself to our nearest Trader Joe's (about a 40 minute drive) ASAP---my kid's are going to love this meatloaf!

[theotherbear]

I'm with Kerri - what sort of terriyaki flavour is it, we don't have the brand you used in Australia.

Thanks!

[Stacey]

I really struggle with these issues too. Our grocery bill is HUGE. I struggle to stay within $1000/month. That includes anything I would buy at the grocery store or Target, etc. Laundry products, papers (TP, paper towels, etc.) personal care, but still, it seems like a lot to me. We have 5 in our family, but boy does it add up! It's nice to know I'm not the only one out there trying to figure it out. I'm also trying to cook everynight and stop eating out. It's not only expensive, it's just really, really bad for you...especially for the kids. Sometimes I feel like anywhere you go they can get a hamburger/cheese, chicken nuggets and fries, or, if you're lucky pasta. We might be able to choose variety for us, but rarely for them. I really enjoy your blog.

[KUchick]

This sounds yummy! I have to get all my Trader Joe's items imported to Kansas City by my aunt or in-laws, who are lucky enough to live in TJ's cities, so I'll have to put that teriyaki sauce on my next list.

Here's something I do with meatloaf (well, turkeyloaf...we like it better): I divide the recipe in two and just form them into two little loaf shapes on a rimmed sheet pan. It cooks in half the time! I highly recommend it for the time-crunched moms out there. Maybe Carrisa could do this and just add the parmesan to one for herself and leave the other one plain for her hubby.

[Grace]

Wow! I haven't made meatloaf in AGES. Thanks for posting the entire recipe, which sounds simple enough and is a new spin on meatloaf. I'm going to try it out in the next few days. I'll let you know how it turns out!

[Jamie]

Looks great! I too would love to see what you are eating every night. :) Last weekend I told my husband I was going grocery shopping and that it is his job to plan the menu. He did pretty well actually.

[Kelly]

I love meatloaf! I never tried parmesan in it, but I think I'm gonna have to! My (French) neighbor only has one positive memory of the food he ate while an exchjange student in the US 20+ years ago, and that was mac and cheese and meatloaf!!
So, as long as you mentioned the naked Ledger, WHEN IS IT COMING BACK??? Don't want to shout, but I miss it so!

[doahleigh]

Hey I'm glad you saw my link to your post. I was going to email you and tell you that I tried your recipe. It was SO good! And good idea, maybe I'll try freezing it. I'm eyeing that meatloaf pretty closely too. I'm not a cook by any means, don't like it much really. But your recipes seem to be easy every-(wo)man recipes with a lot of bang for your buck.

[Lacy]

Hi Amanda, or is it just manda?

A blogging friend reccomended I check out your blog and I've been looking through your archives. I had WLS on Jan 15, about three weeks ago, and I cried as I read your story. It's so comforting to know someone else has experienced the same things as I have. Has traveled the same road. Has felt the same way. My journey has been complication free for the most part, but even almost a month out, I still feel icky sometimes, and low on energy. (I need to start exercising!!)

I wanted to let you know, you give me SO much hope that I'll be able to eat good food again, I'll smile brightly again, and while I know this was the best thing I could have done for myself, sometimes I'm still sad, lonely, and feel so isolated.

Thank you for giving me hope!
Lacy

[Angela Tregembo]

I can't wait to try out your receipe. Looks good and you are soo good at taking pictures. I have been spending an average of 650 a month on groceries for a family of 4 so I am in current conversation mode. I have been trying to find meals that cost less. Here is a great chicken/turkey receipe that is quick and easy. Check out the yummy reciepe I posted on my blog: http://atregembo.blogspot.com/2008/02/family-dinner-for-5-or-less.html

[grammice]

I'm told I make excellent meatloaf, but teriyaki hmmmmm definately going to add that. I also use everything you listed but the teriyaki, so I KNOW its gonna be awesome. Showed to the husband and he even said "hmmm teriyaki, you need to add that."
I'm a weekend cooker for the whole week plus KHeather always "shops" in my freezer for her "meal planning". LOL

[Nicole]

Super Walmart also carries Soy Vay Island Teriyaki sauce. I make something similar to this in meatball form. I make regular meatballs and use island teriyaki and barbecue sauce as the main sauce and serve it over rice.

[Daisy]

Yum. My meatloaf is never the same twice. I could definitely go for the rice in it. I like bread crumbs (I crumble it myself), egg, and sometimes steak sauce (Lea and Perrins is the best). Or a little oatmeal, some ketchup, etc., yada yada yada... :)

[anna]

I made it. I had to make a special trip to TJs to get the sauce which Giant doesn't carry, but it was worth it. FABULOUS! I can't wait to make it again!

[jens]

wow, all this and you can cook, too? Made the rice AND the meatloaf! Delish! Bought the teriyaki sauce and all! (amazed to find it at MalWart)

[Allison]

Delurking to say -- I made this last night! I've never even *seen* Soy Vey before reading your blog, but this weekend, for whatever reason, it jumped out at me, and I thought, I'm going to buy it and make that meatloaf I saw on thuh Interwebs.

I used ground turkey. I added a chopped onion (I figured since I was using turkey, it would help the flavor).

It was super easy and super delish. Kids and husband loved it! Thank you!

[Grace]

I tried it out last night and the meatloaf received 3 (out of 4) thumbs up! This means it's a hit in our house and I'll be making it again.

[Melissa]

I made this meatloaf last night for my parents and my husband. I found out (after buying all the ingredients and making the rice pilaf per your recipe) that my husband despises meatloaf. So, that was encouraging. I told him to keep an open mind (which he's pretty good about). He (and my parents) ADORED it. My mom wanted the recipe and my dad took all the leftovers home with him. :)