Ketchup Free Meatloaf Patties

I hate ketchup, the way it smells, the way it tastes, the fact that it’s basically sugar water with a hint of tomato; I hate it.  My disdain is only intensified when I read recipes calling for it (Sincerely, it’s almost as bad as recipes that call for the use of a microwave-so annoying!) because there are so many more flavorful substitutes (tomato paste or sauce) that actually have nutritional value.  Anyhow…I hate ketchup.

Cooking without this, ahem, condiment is actually quite easy except when it comes to one item, meatloaf.  Rarely will you find a recipe that doesn’t include it, some even go so far as to coat the meat with this fast-food staple.  But I’m offering you a recipe today that will kick your meatloaf up a notch and give it a little bit more sophistication.



Ketchup Free Meatloaf Patties

Ingredients

• 3 lbs of ground chuck ( we actually used 2.77 so it doesn’t have to be exact)
• 1 packet of Lipton’s Onion Soup Mix
• 3 eggs
• 12 saltines

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix all the ingredients until they are well blended.  Shape into rather think patties.  I was able to get 10 out of the mixture and I made them roughly an inch thick and 3-3.5 inches in diameter.



Brown the patties in a skillet; roughly 5 minutes on each side.  You could probably skip this step but my family likes their meat browned.



Put the patties in a shallow pan or on a drip pan like the one I’m using (Yes, I’m sure it’s not called a drip pan but I can’t think of what they’re called…broiler pans?).  Bake for 30 minutes, let rest for a minute or two before serving.



For a side dish I  grilling up a few peppers in the fat left in the skillet.



Please pay no mind to my carb overloaded plate, I swear we usually eat green stuff, I’ve just been stressing out over my trip to NYC and nothing calms the nerves better than a stomach full of comforting carbs.  ‘Course because of my nerves it doesn’t stay there too long but that’s a completely different story.

*Guess what I’m doing today?  Mic wrangling the Martha Stewart Keynote Luncheon at BlogHer!  I’m super jazzed about the ideas, lessons, and GIVEAWAYS I’m going to be coming home with and I hope you are too!  Subscribe today so you don’t miss anything!