Meatloaf with Vegetables and Bean Salad

It is another rainy comfort food day. Drew is out and about all day and is delighted to come home to the aroma of meatloaf. And what a meatloaf! A crispy spicy crust surrounding a moist but firm meaty centre. Raul has whipped up a down home feast in what seems like a matter of minutes. He is initially coy about the recipe, "Oh no it was nothing," before confessing that it was a Kraft recipe and was actually Stove Top Stuffing Meatloaf. Actually Raul found the recipe through dancingthroughtheminefield.blogspot.ca and it was the comments arguing whether it was actually a Kraft recipe. Raul hopes that the variations he made makes it R&D's own but credit is due where it is due. "Maybe we should just skip blogging this," he suggests.

"But this blog is all about realistically surviving on a budget in a small kitchen so it's actually applicable," argues Drew. "Besides I love Stove Top Stuffing. And I love this meatloaf."

"I used Uncle Ben's Stuff'n Such . . .We can't lie to our readers," admits Raul. "But my reputation . . . I didn't even have to spice it. And the people at Kraft."

"You are still the best chef I know," soothes Drew. "And this is a recipe that people will enjoy making. I can't believe it is this simple."

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef

1 box stuffing mix

1 cup water

1 egg

3 tablespoons ketchup

3 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions

Mix everything but the ketchup and sugar together and mash into a loaf pan. Cook for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Mix the ketchup and sugar together and pour on the meatloaf top to bake during the last 15 minutes.

"Comfort food made simply," raves Drew. "And deliciously. Who cares if it was a bit of a cheat? Is it cheating to be fast and convenient? Should we be using commercial brands? Is it ethical to substitute Uncle Ben for Kraft? My head hurts," Drew shrugs. "Enough philosophical debate, is there another slice there?"