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Picky eaters? This kid friendly meatloaf is a win with adults and kids!
I always struggle to find a food that my kids will love, but when I find something, I’m thrilled!
This meatloaf is such a delicious recipe, your whole family will love!
I was hesitant to make meatloaf. When I was a kid, my mom made it for dinner once, and I thought it was awful. I couldn’t figure out why anyone would ever eat meatloaf. Fast-forward to adulthood, my mother in law made it one day. Not wanting to be rude, I ate some. Oh. My. Goodness! It was actually good. Delicious. I couldn’t believe it!
It inspired me to come up with my own version. Through trial and error, I finally came up with a recipe I was satisfied with. The next test was feeding my kiddos. They LOVED it!! Yay! My 3-year-old came back for two more servings! And they love it each time I make it.
I hope you and your kiddos enjoy this meatloaf as much as my family does!
Ingredients:
- Ground beef
- Onion
- Egg
- Tomato sauce
- Rolled oats
- Minced garlic
- Molasses
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Seasoning salt
- BBQ sauce
- Worcestershire
- Dried parsley
- Dried oregano
- Salt
- Cheddar cheese (opt.)
Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease your loaf pan and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add ground beef, chopped onion, egg, rolled oats, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, dried oregano, dried parsley, and seasoning salt.
4. Get two smaller bowls and split the tomato sauce evenly between the two bowls, setting one aside.
5. In one of the bowls of tomato sauce, add minced garlic, 1 tsp Worcestershire, molasses, the remaining 1/4 tsp garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix well, then pour in with the meat and other ingredients.
6. Combine the meat and other ingredients really well. Use your hand to massage/knead it all together.
7. Split the ground beef mixture in half and place half in your loaf pan, flattening to cover the whole pan.
8. Cut some thin slices of cheese, just enough to cover the meat in the loaf pan.
9. Place the remaining meat in the loaf pan, covering the cheese, and shape it into a loaf.
10. Get the tomato sauce that you placed aside and add remaining 1 tsp Worcestershire and 5 tsp BBQ sauce(or A1), pour over the meat and spread to cover the meat.
11. Cover with foil, and bake for 2 hours. Place some tinfoil on a baking sheet and place on the rack under the meatloaf, to catch any spills.
See how messy it can get?!
12. After cooking for 2 hours, remove from oven, remove foil, add thin slices of cheese, then place back in over for 5 minutes more, just long enough to melt the cheese.
13. Let the meatloaf cool for a few minutes, serve and ENJOY! Be aware that this meatloaf gets VERY hot.
Notes:
This isn’t necessary, but for added flavor, you can make an A1 aioli:
- 1 cup mayo
- 3 TBSP A1 sauce
Mix well and drizzle on the meatloaf or put a dollop on your plate for dipping.
Kid-Friendly Meatloaf
Equipment
- 1 Loaf pan
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1 egg
- 1 8oz. can tomato sauce
- 3/4 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp molasses
- 1 tsp garlic powder + 1/4tsp
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp seasoning salt
- 5 tsp bbq sauce(or A1)
- 2 tsp worcestershire
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- cheddar cheese, opt.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease your loaf pan and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add ground beef, chopped onion, egg, rolled oats, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, dried oregano, dried parsley, and seasoning salt.
- Get two smaller bowls and split the tomato sauce evenly between the two bowl, setting one aside.
- In one of the bowls of tomato sauce, add minced garlic, 1 tsp worcestershire, molasses, the remaining 1/4 tsp garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix well, then pour in with the meat and other ingredients.
- Combine the meat and other ingredients really well. Use your hand to massage/knead it all together.
- Split the ground beef mixture in half and place half in your loaf pan, flattening to cover the whole pan.
- Cut some thin slices of cheese, just enough to cover the meat in the loaf pan.
- Place the remaining meat in the loaf pan, covering the cheese, and shape it into a loaf.
- Get the tomato sauce that you placed aside and add remaining 1 tsp worcestershire and 5 tsp bbq sauce(or A1), pour over the meat and spread to cover the meat.
- Cover with foil, and bake for 2 hours. Place some tinfoil on a baking sheet and place on the rack under the meatloaf, to catch any spills.
- After cooking for 2 hours, remove from oven, remove foil, add thin slices of cheese, then place back in over for 5 minutes more, just long enough to melt the cheese.