Mom's Best Meat Loaf

This is no ordinary meat loaf - the recipe is so good it's been passed down in our family for three generations. The zesty seasoning gives the flavor a spark. I remember Mom's delicious meals. She loved to serve this meat loaf.

-Linda Nilsen, Anoka, Minnesota

View this recipe now

This is actually my husband's best meat loaf.  You can't really taste apple but it's just a little different when you're thinking about trying someing new.

2lb ground beef                                    

1/2lb pork sausage

3 eggs

2c. crushed corn flakes

3slices bread, crumbled

1/2c catsup

2T Worchestershire sauce

1-2tsp sage

1 apple, peeled and minced

1 onion, minced

salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, mix all ingedients well.  Form into a loaf and bake 1 1/2 hours either in a loaf pan or on a cookie sheet with sides at 325F. 

I use whatever kind of apple we have in the house.  Works great with tart Granny Smiths or sweeter Galas.  Something like a Yellow Delicious seems too mushy for us but still lends nice flavor.

I have been leaving the sage out for the last several times I've made this.  Can't tell the difference; the dried sage container was who knows how old and didn't even smell like sage when I opened it so I tossed it and never invested in a new bottle. 

Kind of off on another tangent--instead of making the usual New Year's resolution to lose weight.  We decided to cut the fat.  Not just to lose weight, but to get rid of stuff that we haven't used in recent memory.  For me, that involved cleaning out the spice shelf.  It got tossed if it didn't smell like what the label said it was.  Some containers I can't remember when I last used!  Also getting rid of some kitchen gadgets--like the cookie press I had to buy from Pampered Chef 3 years ago.  I used it once, thought it took too much work and there it sits in the pantry!

Thanks, nix_mom. I'm adding your recipe into my weekly menu for my family :)