Alek's Meatloaf

 Until a few years ago, I loathed meatloaf.  Swimming in a greasy pool of undesirable colored goop, mushy and unremarkable.  I thought meatloaf was dog food.
My mom can attest to this.  Although she made meatloaf often, I could never ever manage to choke it down.  I'm not saying that her meatloaf was dog food, but somehow the connection in my mind made me psychologically unable to eat anything with "loaf" in it's name.
Then my friend Alek invited us over for dinner.  She served this meatloaf, and as it didn't look gross, I decided to give it a try.  I actually liked it!  I made her give me the recipe.  She said it was her mom's recipe, a little of this, a handful of that, but she put it down for me the best she could.

To this day, I actually look forward to making this for dinner.  I love that I used to despise meatloaf but now it's one of my favorite  things.  Because it's cooked in a large rectangular pan, the gross fat drains away from the meat.  The meat is well seasoned and not to mushy or dry.  Basically, with some mashed potatoes, it just about makes the perfect comfort dinner.
Thanks Alek, for the awesome recipe!  This one is in my recipe bible for life!  Make sure to make a gorgeous batch of mashed potatoes, and if corn on the cob is in season, boil some of that up too!

Alek's Meatloaf
2 lbs ground beef
1 egg
1 small onion, minced
1 stalk of celery, minced
2 clove garlic, mined
1 tablespoon parsley (dry or fresh)
1 1/2 tablespoon Vegeta**
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup ketchup
For sauce - 1/4 cup ketchup and 2 tablespoon brown sugar
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and blend well.  If the consistency is still a little loose, you can add some more bread crumbs.  Shape into loaf in a 2-quart glass  baking dish (about 11x7 inches) or any pan similar in size.  If you're using leaner meat, you can lightly spray the pan with some cooking spray before you adding the meat.  Place in the oven at 375 degrees for about half an hour, then reduce to 350 degrees for another 15-30 minutes to avoid scorching the outside.  If you want to add the ketchup and brown sugar sauce, baste it on now.  Check the middle to see if it's done to your liking - cooking time might also depend on how think you decide to make the loaf.

** Vegeta is an all-purpose seasoning from Europe that is used extensively in Serbia and Croatia.  Typically, you can find it at a fresh produce grocer or an international grocery store.  If you are unable to find, you can substitute Mrs. Dash and seasoned salt for this. Wiki Link to Vegeta