Diner Blue Plate Special Meat Loaf

Princess Party Cookbook, p. 78

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for greasing

2 red onions, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon ketchup

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

¼ cup orange juice

1 ½ cups fresh white bread crumbs (made from about 4 slices bread, crusts removed)

3 tablespoons milk

½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves or ¼ teaspoon dried

1 small carrot, grated (1/3 cup)

½ apple, peeled, cored, and grated (2/3 cup)

1 pound lean ground beef

Salt and pepper

Grating apples just makes really watery applesauce. It also gets hard on the fingers there towards the end.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

To make the sauce, heat the oil in a medium saucepan and saute the onions for 6 to 8 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then transfer half of the onion to a bowl and let cool. Add the ketchup, sugar, honey or maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, and orange juice to the saucepan.

Add the bread crumbs and milk to the onion in the bowl and stir, then add the remaining ingredients and 3 tablespoons of the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper, mix together, then transfer to the baking sheet and form into a fat log about 8 inches long and 4 inches wide.

Yes. Yes, those are very suggestive instructions.

Bake the meat loaf for 30 minutes, then brush with some of the sauce. Bake for 10 minutes more, then brush again and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes.

Now that's pretty!

Meanwhile, bring the remaining sauce to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Serve the meat loaf in slices with the barbecue sauce. 

A little wine and a little meatloaf make a nice little dinner.

My Rating: 4/5 "I gotta tell you, I'm not usually a huge fan of homemade barbecue sauces. But this one? Delicious! The sweet undertones and meaty texture just make the sauce all the more fitting. Try this!"