I live alone and do all my own cooking and like to make up ahead of time things that make it easier. I save the little pie pans that meat pot pies come in for use to make portion size meatloafs. These are then wrapedin clear wrap and put it to freezer bags for starage. Would they taste better if they were cooked before storing? Is there something I do not know about storeing uncooked meatloaf, is there a different recipe? Mine are starting to taste bland.

A couple of hints I use is to save the olive oil that anchovies come packed in; 10 tins fill a soy sauce bottle - free olive oil. I purchas the 40 oz. cans of shredded tomatoes, freeze them in ice cube trays and store in freezer bags. Handy to grab in an instant. no leftovers to contend with, no need to stock ten types of tomato products.

What do you do to liven up meatloaf?

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), February 18, 2002

Answers

Mitch, I usually cook the meatloaf before freezing. I also use dry onion soup mix in my meatloaf. I really like it that way. Sometime, try the recipe that comes with a pack of onion soup mix, You might like it. Thanks for posting the hints too!! I will try them!

-- cowgirlone in OK (cowgirlone47@hotmail.com), February 18, 2002.

When I make meatloaf, I use all of the little odds and ends in the frig, like chili sauce, taco sauce, BBQ sauce, ketchup, relish, (hot, sweet, dill) any kind. Also steak sauce, soy, worchestershire etc...

Not all of these things at once, just whatever I happen to have on hand. I add a couple of eggs and a big handful of oats and it is usually pretty good!

I usually cook it all at once, then freeze and reheat when we eat it.

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), February 18, 2002.

That's a great tip about the tomatoes...I'll have to try that. Thanks for the idea.

-- claudia in NY (cooleyville@aol.com), February 18, 2002.

Heinz ketchup, lots of Heinz ketchup.

-- Cindy (SE. IN) (atilrthehony@hotmail.com), February 18, 2002.

Mitch~

I use Knorr vegetable soup mix. It has lots of dehydrated veggies and is soooo good. It makes two loaves. We eat one and I freeze the other. I bake them both, but only put ketchup on one.

-- Ivy in NW AR (balch84@cox-internet.com), February 18, 2002.

I put in an egg, crackers, fresh onions or dehydrated, garlic, BBQ sauce, worcestershire sauce and sometimes I will put fresh green beans in the middle of the loaf.

-- Billie in CO (bbsowell@earthlink.net), February 19, 2002.