As I mentioned in my Valentine’s Dinner post, meatloaf, especially in the winter months, is a comfort food…for some, not for me.  It is one of Mr. B’s favorite meals and it used to be a favorite of my father’s.  I can remember mom making a huge meatloaf and then we would eat meatloaf sandwiches for a couple of days after she served the beast.

{1770 House Meatloaf ~ Ina Garten, Foolproof}

Years ago, when my mom fixed meatloaf for Mr. B (shortly after we were married) on our drive home he said, “why don’t you ever fix meatloaf?”  To which I stated, “because I don’t really care for it”…yep, I can be selfish that way.  After giving it some thought I decided maybe it was my mom’s meatloaf that I really didn’t like (bless you, mom) so I began trying meatloaf recipes from a wide array of sources.

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{Charlotte Moss}

I hit upon a recipe that I was certain couldn’t be rivaled in a 2001 Bon Appetit.  The March issue featured a meatloaf called “Red-Onion Meat Loaf“.  Since Mr. B loved red onion and I didn’t mind it I figured I’d give it a go.  It’s a delicious recipe and I’ve given you the link so that you can easily print it and try it yourself.

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Then, a few years ago we were watching Bobby Flay’s Throw Down, on Food TV.  He threw down for a meatloaf cook-off with the Collucci brothers of Hyannis, Mass.  They have been serving their meatloaf recipe for generations at the Collucci’s 4 Brothers Bistro & Last Resort.  I seem to remember that Bobby lost the throw down, but it was his recipe that sounded best to Mr. B. and I.  I’ve been making the recipe ever since…until Ian Garten’s new Foolproof cookbook had a recipe for 1770 House meatloaf.  I had to try it.  It’s delicious but Mr. B, and fortunately, I agree that Bobby Flay’s recipe still wins our cravings, hands down.

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Click on the link for each recipe and give them a try if you and yours love meat loaf.  I’ve included table settings to jazz things up a bit.  Hey, if you’re going to eat you have to set the table, right?

{Martha Stewart ~ photo by Maura McEvoy}

Do you like meatloaf?  If you have a wonderful recipe, I’d love to borrow it.  I’m always searching for the next “best” meatloaf ever for my honey!

{Happy 40th Anniversary, Mr. B}