Meatloaf with Chili Sauce

See those mashed potatoes? The recipe is a'comin.

The day I made this recipe, it tasted pretty good. The next day, it was fantastic. So make it a day ahead, reheat, and enjoy with abandon!

This recipe makes two loaves or, for a kid-friendly twist, put the mixture into 24 muffin cups.

Meatloaf With Chili Sauce

1/2 c. milk
4 slices white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
1 1/2 lbs ground sirloin
1 1/2 lbs ground pork
2 small onions, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c. chili sauce, plus 1/4 cup for glaze
1 c. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350-degrees F, with rack in center. In a large bowl, pour milk over bread; let soak, about 30 seconds. Add sirloin, pork, onion, garlic, 1/2 cup chili sauce, parsley, Parmesan, eggs, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Using your hands, mix until combined; do not overmix or meatloaf will be dense.

Divide mixture in half. Gently pat each half into a log, and place each log in an 8 1/2 -by-4 1/2-inch loaf pan. Do not press down or into corners.

Bake 50 minutes. Brush tops of loaves with remaining 1/4 cup chili sauce; continue cooking until juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 160°, about 10 minutes.

Remove from oven; let rest 5 minutes. Turn loaves out of pans; slice each into eight 3/4-inch-thick slices.

Note: For a loaf with crisp edges, shape the meat mixture with your hands into a log slightly smaller than the pan. And for a light texture, don't press the log into the pan; just drop it in.

Grade: A