Old Fashioned Meatloaf Recipe

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1/2 lb fresh ground pork or fresh pork sausage
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups fine bread crumbs
1 clove of garlic, pressed
1/2 cup minced sweet onion
1/4 cup minced green bell pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper, or to taste
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 envelope dry Lipton's Onion Soup mix
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste, divided use
4 strips bacon, cut in half (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine ground beef, sausage, eggs, bread crumbs, garlic, onions, bell pepper, salt, black pepper, Worcestershire, onion soup mix, milk, tomato sauce and half the tomato paste together.

3. Gently mix only until combined. Do not overwork the meat or it will become tough. Form into a loaf. Cover with the remaining half can of tomato paste. Place bacon strips over top of loaf.

4. Place in a loaf pan and bake at 350 F. 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.
NOTE: Let rest 15 minutes before cutting to serve.

Makes 6 to 8 servings