Old-Fashioned Meat Loaf (Throwback Thursday)

I honestly love meatloaf. Weird? Probably ... but who can resist the moist hamburger meat that is enhanced by so many other simple ingredients that make a world of difference. Paula Deen does it again with this meatloaf recipe. And, you don't even need a special 'meatloaf pan.'

This was AMAZING! I literally make this at least twice a month. It is that good, and incredibly easy! Sometimes I even use 1/4 pound sausage and 3/4 pound hamburger meat to mix it up a little bit. Both ways are so tasty.

If you like shaped meatloaf, you can try these heart shaped ones (I used the heart shaped silicon mold) that I made for Valentine's day last year. You could also use a normal cupcake pan and top them with mashed potatoes to achieve more of a "cupcake" affect. Either is super cute. Both worked out equally well.

Ingredients for the Loaf
1 pound ground beef
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup onion, chopped
3/4 cup bell pepper, chopped (I used half red and half green)
1 egg, lightly beaten
8 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp bread crumbs (any kind will work)

Ingredients for the Topping
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon prepared mustard

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all ingredients for the loaf together. Place on a baking dish and shape into a loaf.
2. Mix ingredients for the topping and spread over the loaf. Bake for 1 hour.