Meatloaf can be a difficult food to make, but following this easy recipie can make anyone a gourmet Meatloaf cook!!!

Step 1: Items Needed

First one will need to make sure that they have the ingredients and items needed to make the Meatloaf. The meatloaf in this recipie is a small to medium size and will need to cook about an hour. To make a larger meatloaf double the ingredients. Remember the larger the meatloaf the longer it needs to cook!!

Items needed for cooking:
1 large mixing bowl
1 medium to large size cake pan
1 large zip-lock bag
1 measuring cup
Cooking Spray or Oil
Clock or Timer
Oven

Ingredients Needed:
1 pound ground beef
1 sleeve of saltine crackers
1 jar of mild or medium salsa
1 package of eggs
Ketchup (quantity depends on taste)

Step 2: Preperation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit to ensure oven will be warm enough when preperations for baking are complete.

Once the oven is preheating, remove the pound of meatloaf from its packaging and place it in the mixing bowl.

Next take 1/2 of the sleeve of crackers out of the sleeve. Place them in the zip-lock bag then seal the bag. Take the ketchup bottle and crush the crackers into fine pieces. Put the pieces into the mixing bowl with the ground beef.

Next measure out 1/2 cup of salsa and place that in the mixing bowl with the ground beef and crackers.

Next take 1 egg and crack it into the bowl with the beef, crackers, and salsa.

Once all the ingredients are in the mixing bowl, wash your hands. Then take your hands and begin mixing the ingediants together. Make sure they are as evenly mixed as possible.

This recipie makes a small to medium size meatloaf. For a larger sized meatloaf double the amount of the ingredients.

Step 3: Forming of the "Loaf"

Once all the ingrediants are mixed together grease your cake pan heavily with the cooking spray or oil. This will help keep the meatloaf from sticking to the pan while baking.

Start forming the mixture into a "loaf" shape, like a small loaf of bread.

The mixture should be firm and easily formed. If this is not true for your ingrediants, crush more crackers and add them to the mixture. This is the most difficult part of making your meatloaf. The amount of crackers you add depends on the feel and how well the mixture forms. You may also want to add 1/4 cup of salsa to prevent the meatloaf from having a cracker taste. The cracker is truly a binding not a flavoring.

Once your mixture is formed into a firm loaf shape move it into the center of your cake pan.

Step 4: Cooking

Place your meatloaf into the center of a pre-heated oven. Watch the clock or set the timer for a half of an hour.

After half of an hour carefully remove the meatloaf from the oven and check the center. The outside of the meatloaf should be brown in color. The center should be pink but not bloody. At this time take the ketchup and out it on top of the meatloaf. Make sure it is spread around. Place the meatloaf in the oven for fifteen minutes.

After fifteen minutes have passed carefully remove the meatloaf and check its center. It if is brown that the meatloaf is done. If it is still pink place it in the oven. Monitor the meatloaf very carefully by removing it from the oven and checking its center for pinkness. Smaller meatloafs need less time to bake, and larger ones need longer. Cook time is usually from 45 minutes to an hour and 15 minutes. Be careful that the meatloaf does not burn!!!!

Step 5: Cool Off and Serving

Once your meatloaf has NO PINKNESS in its center remove it from the oven. Let it sit and cool for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes have passed you can put more Ketchup on the top. Then slice into even slices and serve.

Enjoy!!