Boarding House Meatloaf

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Pair this Boarding House Meatloaf from Southern Living with mashed potatoes and green beans for a terrific comfort meal.

Image courtesy of The Southern Living Community Cookbook

Paired with some mashed potatoes and green beans, this meatloaf is terrific comfort food. The sauce has a nice, tangy flavor. I am delighted to be able to share the recipe from The Southern Living Community Cookbook with you.

How To Make Boarding House Meatloaf

For this Southern meatloaf recipe, you need the following ingredients:

1 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped and divided into 2 portions
1 small onion, finely chopped and divided into 2 portions
2 large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup uncooked regular oats
1/4 cup ketchup
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. butter
3/4 cup ketchup or chili sauce
1 Tablespoon cider vinegar

To make it, you begin by preheating your oven to 350°. Lightly grease a 9- x 5-inch loaf pan.

For the meatloaf, stir together the beef, 1/2 of the bell pepper, 1/2 of the chopped onion, eggs, oats, ketchup, and salt in a large bowl. Shape into a loaf, and place in the prepared pan.

Bake the meatloaf at 350° for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the tangy sauce by melting butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining onion and bell pepper; cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in ketchup and vinegar; simmer, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly.

Remove the loaf from the oven and pour off pan juices. Spread half of the sauce evenly over meatloaf; bake 25 more minutes.

Serve the meatloaf hot with the remaining sauce.

Nothing seems to unite a community together more than food. From potlucks to progressive dinners, Southerners love to get together and enjoy a meal. Sheri Castle, the author of The Southern Living Community Cookbook: Celebrating food and fellowship in the American South, read every single recipe in Southern Living from February 1966 until February 2014 (over 45,000 recipes).

In the Community Cookbook,released October 2014, Sheri writes that they are more than just cookbooks – they are also “histories, storybooks, souvenirs, and heirlooms.”

She also tells the reader that the first community cookbook was written in 1864 in Philadelphia to raise money for Civil War field hospitals. Through the years, the creation and sale of community cookbooks has been a way to raise funds for civic causes.

The introduction in the book is short and sweet consisting of only a few pages. The rest of the book is full of recipes submitted by Southern Living readers, as well as dishes from cherished community cookbooks, notable chefs, and food writers.

Other Highlights Include:

Chef Recipes from the likes of Matt and Ted Lee, Julia Reed, Lee Chase, and John Currence of Oxford, Mississippi who shares a recipe for his favorite Oyster Dressing
A slew of Southern Living Classics like Hoppin’ John Salad, Boarding House Meat Loaf, and Layered Cornbread Salad
The Southern Tales & Traditions sidebars that are scattered throughout the book tell heartwarming tales of the South’s rich culinary heritage
An entire chapter dedicated to “Pickles, Preserves, and Pug-Ups” with useful recipes for Dilly Beans, Pickled Peaches, and Yam Jam – all the basics for a truly Southern pantry
Since dinner in the South is not complete without dessert, the “Desserts and Sweet Treats” chapter includes decadently delicious recipes for Lemon Tea Bread, Classic Cheese Pie, and Hummingbird Cake.

My opinion? It’s a very nice cookbook. I wish that there was a picture for every recipe. (There are photos of the majority.) I think it would make a nice gift for those who enjoy good, old-fashioned Southern recipes. (That is everyone, right?)

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