Meatloaf recipe delivers two meals for one

Meatloaf: Think of it as a casserole, a budget-saving way to stretch protein, or a tasty scrap heap of leftover this-es and thats. Maybe your Mom made the best meatloaf in the world — or maybe hers was dry and heavy as a brick. The truth is that if you grew up in a certain time in the US, your Mom almost certainly made some version of it.

Depending on your background, meatloaf might include tomato sauce, oregano and basil (Italian); be made with pork and cornmeal (German); or be what was referred to as “frosted,” meaning encased in a layer of mashed potatoes. The version that has endured and become an American classic, however, is coated with a layer of ketchup, which bakes into a sweet and tart glaze on top.

The key to good meatloaf, of course, is that it should be tender and not dry, and that the meat (whether it is ground beef, turkey or any other protein) lend a savory flavor that is not lost amid the breadcrumbs, egg and vegetables with which it is mixed. The version below meats all those criteria.

It could be argued that the best part of meatloaf is eating it the next day in a sandwich. These days, a dish that also makes a mighty fine lunch is a dish to cherish. As if we didn’t already have enough reasons to love our meatloaf.

Two-meal meatloaf

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)

2 small bell peppers, preferably one red and one green, finely diced

2 large eggs

2 pounds 85% lean ground beef

3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs

1/2 cup ketchup, divided

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a sheet pan with cooking spray (or foil followed by cooking spray).

2. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high. Add the onions and peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 to 6 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, beat the eggs lightly in a large bowl. Add the beef, breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup of the ketchup, mustard, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. Mix well and transfer to the prepared sheet pan. Form a 9 x 4 x 2-inch loaf on the pan. Spread the remaining 1/4 cup of ketchup over the top.

4. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165 degrees, about 55 minutes. Let the meatloaf rest 5 minutes before slicing.