(Image by Peter Engler)

Contestant

Mom’s Meatloaf & Potatoes

Maureen Minor May

My heritage includes a long line of good cooks. My mother was one of them. One of my favorite meals growing up was her meatloaf and potatoes. I would always get to enjoy my mom’s meatloaf twice. Once when she made it for dinner, and again as a meatloaf sandwich the next day. I have no idea where she came up with the recipe unless it was from her mom.

As an adult with a husband and three kids, I also became known as a good cook, however, my meatloaf was always terrible. The potatoes were good, but the meatloaf was terrible. I just couldn’t get it right. After multiple tries, I called my mom and asked her, “Mom, how do you make your meatloaf? I just can’t get mine to taste like yours”. She told me that she used crackers, canned diced tomatoes, an egg, Lipton onion soup, V e1veeta cheese, and catsup. Well, I thought I had been using most of those ingredients, except for the tomatoes, so I tried it again, and it still tasted terrible! So, I made another phone call to mom. This time I said, “Mom, tell me EXACTL Y how you make your meatloaf, and the EXACT amount of the ingredients.” That was when she told me that for every pound of ground beef she added one sleeve of crackers, one package of onion soup, one half can of tomatoes, etc. I replied, “you mean you use an entire sleeve of crackers for every pound of meatloaf? You mean you use a package of onion soup for every pound of meat loaf? etc. No wonder mine doesn’t taste like yours.” I had been making a 2-3-pound meatloaf with a lot less of those ingredients. So, I tried again with 3 pounds of ground beef. It seemed crazy to me to add 3 sleeves of crackers, and 3 packages of Lipton onion soup, etc., but I did it. That was the beginning of me being able to make my mom’s meatloaf1 My family loved it! They are now grown, and most of my grandchildren are grown, but they still enjoy my mom’s meatloaf, and they know the secret of why her meatloaf is so good! Her meatloaf will continue to live on for many generations, and it is still one of my favorite recipes. I think of her every time I make it and she lives on in me as I make her wonderful meatloaf and· potatoes.

Contestant

Mom’s Meatloaf & Potatoes

Maureen Minor May