Meat Loaf

I use my aunt's meat loaf recipe and it really is the best.  I have tried a few other meatloaf recipes, but this recipe just can't be replaced in my book.  

Mix together:

15 oz. can tomato sauce

1/4 c. vinegar

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 tsp. mustard

Set the sauce mixture aside.

Mix together, in a large bowl:

2 pounds ground beef (I like to mix my meats - 1 lb. ground beef & 1 lb. ground pork, or I'll do a mixture of ground beef, ground pork, and ground turkey.  I have even made it just using ground turkey, but this is meat loaf you're making and it really needs a little beef.  Sometimes you can buy a premixed meat loaf mixture or have your meat dept do a custom mix for you.)

1/2 c. onion, chopped

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 c. bread crumbs (I have used plain, Italian style, or I just rip up a slice of bread into tiny bits)

1 tsp salt 

1/4 tsp pepper

Add half of the sauce mixture (it's about 1 1/4 c.) to the meat mixture and combine.  Form into a loaf or meatballs.  Bake at 350 for one hour (less time for meatballs).  Spoon remaining sauce over the top before serving. 

We like to eat this with baked potatoes.  I prepare my potatoes (scrub, poke, & wrap) and stick them in the oven while I prepare the meat loaf.  They bake right along side the meat loaf so everything is done at once.  We had this last week and I made mashed potatoes instead, that was yummy!