Barbecue Meat Loaf

This morning started out a little rough. I was running late to get to my car before parking enforcement starts handing out tickets so I had to run down the street with wet hair sans makeup. Luckily, no ticket. Once at work I got thrown right back into the chaotic storm that I have been living the last couple of weeks. *Keep in mind I still love my job! It's just been insanely busy lately and I feel so unorganized and unable to get organized!*

After applying my makeup in the bathroom at work, eating a bowl of delicious overnight oats and drinking the largest mug of coffee my day just got better! It started with finding out that I just got a promotion! Yippee!!!! You have no idea how excited I am! I already love my job but now I'm infatuated, even with the current craze!

After that I had a great lunch break with my colleagues. I had some turkey chili that my next door neighbor dropped off for me last night (The same neighbor who invited me over for yoga and sleepy time tea last night. I'm so lucky!) and half of a peanut butter and banana sandwich on wheat toast. Aside from my delicious meal my colleagues must have taken some funny pills before lunch. There was so much laughing I don't think any of us actually consumed any calories!

After work I came home to my husband who had returned from Orlando with a gift. Black Hunter Wellies! I've been wanting these boots for over a year! When Oprah announced them as one of her favorite items my chance of getting them for Christmas or Valentine's Day went right out the window! But I got them tonight, just because! He didn't even know about my promotion yet!

After christening my new boots by taking Bailey out for his walk in the rain I started making dinner. On the docket for the evening, Barbecue Meat Loaf from Cooking Light, March 2006. While making the meatloaf I realized that I missed an important step in the directions. I was only supposed to add 1 Tablespoon of the BBQ sauce to the meat. Oops! I added all 1/3 cups of BBQ sauce! Oh well! After strategizing with Matt I decided to leave the meatloaf in the oven a little longer to compensate for the extra liquid.

Accompanying our dinner this evening one of our favorite bottles of Zinfandel to celebrate the day.


Lauren's review: Good. Moist. Easy to make! A little too much BBQ sauce. Definitely recommend it to those that like BBQ sauce and can follow directions!
Matt's review: Too much barbecue sauce. I didn't like it.
Final decision: Lauren will eat the leftovers at lunch. Trashing the recipe because we both didn't LOVE it.

*UPDATE 2/26: Matt said this morning that we should keep the recipe. Try it the way it was supposed to be made with 1 T of BBQ in the meatloaf and slightly less than the rest of the sauce on top. So it's a keeper!*


My fuzzy, iPhone picture


To do the recipe justice I have attached Cooking Light's photo


Barbecue Meat Loaf

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb ground beef, extra lean (raw)
1/2 c dry breadcrumbs *I used whole wheat breadcrumbs*
1/2 c chopped onion
1/3 c barbecue sauce divided (Oops!)
1 T prepared mustard (I used half yellow and half Dijon)
1 1/2 t chili powder
1 t garlic powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
2 large egg whites
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the beef, breadcrumbs, and onion, 1 T barbecue sauce (oops again!), and remaining ingredients except cooking spray in a large bowl.
Shape meat mixture into a 9 x 5-inch loaf on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Spread remaining barbecue sauce over top of meat loaf. *This is when I discovered my error* Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until a thermometer registers 160 degrees. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut loaf into 12 slices.

6 servings

Off to enjoy some wine and catch up on Lost with the hubby. Hope you have a good night!