The Other Martha’s Meatloaf

My mom fed our large family very well. She made a lot of casseroles, with emphasis on the rice and potatoes. I don’t recall being a picky eater – some of my siblings balked at dinner time, but I liked the Spanish Rice and Tuna Noodle Casserole just fine. One thing that I did not like was the meatloaf. I ate it, but it was not a top choice. (I did draw the line, though, at cold sandwiches made with leftover meat loaf. Uh-uh.) I never made meatloaf myself until after having children of my own. I realized I could probably find a good recipe that we would all enjoy, and now it’s a big favorite with my man and my youngsters. And me, even… we never leave enough leftover to make sandwiches. Whew!

Meatloaf and Baked Sweet Potatoes

Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food

• 4 large sweet potatoes (yellow or orange)
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 slices white sandwich bread
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup ketchup, plus more for glaze
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and pepper
• 1 small onion, grated
• 1/2 tsp + 1/8 tsp baking soda (Magical secret ingredient! A trick I learned from America’s Test Kitchen. It softens the onion and helps the beef stay juicy and enhances browning, for a noticeable flavor boost.)
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1.5 lbs ground beef

Preheat oven to 400, rack in middle position.
Scrub and dry the sweet potatoes. Prick all over with a fork, and rub with oil. Place on griddle pan or foil-lined baking sheet and bake 60-90 mins (Give them about a half-hour head start on the meatloaf).
Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. I like to use one layer to cover the pan and a smaller piece with edges folded up to contain meatloaf juices and keep them from spreading and burning in the oven.
Then make the meatloaf: Tear bread slices into quarters and process in blender or food processor to produce coarse crumbs. Place in a small bowl and stir in milk. Let stand, stirring occasionally, while you combine the other ingredients: In a large bowl, crack egg, add ketchup, 1 tsp fine sea salt and plenty of fresh-ground pepper. Crush garlic into the bowl and then don goggles for grating the onion. Add 1/8 tsp baking soda. Mix well and then use a large fork to stir in the pork. Give it a good thorough mixing, until moisture is absorbed and mixture is smooth. Then place the beef, broken up into several chunks, into the bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp baking soda. Mix it into the pork mixture as gently as you can, then fold in bread/milk mixture until just combined. Form into one lump in the bowl and then turn that out onto the foil-lined pan. Form into a rectangle, roughly 9 x 5 inches.
Bake, (side-by-side on same rack as sweet potatoes) brushing twice with additional ketchup, 45-55 mins or until lightly browned. (160 degrees)
Let meatloaf rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Serve meatloaf and sweet potatoes with a simple steamed veggie or salad.