French Onion Meatloaf

A couple of weeks ago, someone on the cooking message board posted a link to her blog detailing a "Fried Onion and Ranch Meatloaf." I went right to her site, starred it in my Google Reader, and planned on adding it to my menu.

Somehow I got it in my head that it was a "FRENCH Onion Meatloaf," so when it was time to make it for my family, I decided to see what I could come up with. This is HUGE for me, folks; rarely do I have a culinary "vision" where I decide to deviate from a recipe too much. I am NOT the kind of cook who can just get an idea and whip it up; I need something in writing!

Anyway, so the other night my brother Jonny was coming over with his girlfriend to try to fix my computer. I asked him what I could make for him for dinner, and he said, "Hmm. Make something weird. Last time we came for dinner, you made something odd, and it was cool." (That "something odd" was florentine meatballs.) So I figured my attempts at a French Onion Meatloaf would be perfect.

This meatloaf was okay. I didn't love it, but I do have big ideas for the future. I think the soup mix and the fried onions made it a bit too dry; I served it with some gravy, but I'd like to avoid that in the future. I think I'll add some broth or something to the meatloaf to give it a little more moisture. In trying to compare it to my mom's awesome French Onion Soup, I think I will also saute some sliced onions and throw them in, and maybe do a little something with mozzarella.

So stay tuned - this is not the last you will see of this meatloaf!

A BILLION thanks to Adventures in Home Cooking; without your post, my little meatloaf idea would never have been born! And your recipe sounds delightful and I do plan on making it soon! :)

Ingredients:
1 egg, beaten
1lb ground beef
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 T. Italian seasoning
2 & 1/2 T. Ketchup
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
6 to 8 oz. French-fried onions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat egg. Combine with beef, soup mix, Italian seasoning, bread crumbs, ketchup, and about half of fried onions. Shape into a loaf and place in a lightly greased 9 x. 5 inch pan. Sprinkle remaining fried onions onto top; gently press them into the loaf a bit so they "stick." Bake, covered loosely with foil, for 50-60 minutes, or until meatloaf is cooked through.