New Favorite Meatloaf--or an Ode to Worcestershire Sauce

Meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Pure comfort food for me--although I have to admit it's not one of my kids' favorites. Still, sometimes they have to suffer! This came from one of the freezer cooking lists I'm on, although I, of course, modified it a bit. First I halved it. I can never figure out these two pound meatloaves. I mean, 1/4 pound of ground beef is a good serving size if there's pleny of other food so a 2 pound meatloaf is about 8 servings for me. I don't like leftovers that much! Someone should publish a cookbook of just meatloaves. Maybe they have already... If so, this should be in it! I'm instantly attacted to anything with Worcestershire sauce in it, of course, as I've admitted before. Worcestershire chicken, Worcestershire shrimp, Pulled Pork, Crab Cakes, Welsh Rarebit/Rabbit--even the family favorite hamburger recipe.

My mother's meatloaf recipe had the right idea, but didn't carry it far enough. More! I have must have more Worcestershire. And the topping idea of maple syrup and ketchup was inspired.

1 pound ground beef
1/2 onion, minced, or 1 Tbs dried onion flakes
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/8 cup (or maybe more?!) Worcestershire sauce
dash of salt and pepper
1/4 - 1/2 cup bread crumbs or crushed Ritz crackers or oatmeal

Mix it all together--but don't overmix.

Topping:

1/8 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup ketchup

Divide between 6 muffin tins (sprayed or oiled) . Spread a bit of the topping on each and save the rest to serve at the table. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until done.

Note: If you're a 2 pound meatloaf kind of person, double this and bake in a loaf pan for an hour. You might delay putting the maple syrup and ketchup topping on until after the first 30 minutes.