Quick and easy meatloaf

It's been one of those days! You've been extra busy at work, Dad's due home in an hour, and he'll be hungry as a bear, Jimmy needs help with a school project that's due tomorrow, and Suzy wants to eat early. Her date arrives at 7:30 P.M. for their big evening out. How's a wife, mother, working girl, and homemaker to cope?

One of the tricks of the trade is to have a few standby recipes which are fast, easy, foolproof and delicious. The ingredients should consist of items you usually have on hand, which can be combined quickly, preferably in one dish. Who needs a pile of dishes to clean up later?

"Mom's Meat Loaf" is one such recipe.

Ingredients:

2 whole eggs, beaten
1/3 c. catsup
3/4 c. warm water
1 whole envelope of onion soup mix
1 1/2 c. of soft bread crumbs
2 lb. ground beef

Method:

Beat eggs. Stir in catsup, water and soup mix. Add bread crumbs and ground beef. Mix well. Press mixture into a 9"x 5" loaf pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Makes 8 servings.

If desired, a few drizzles of barbecue sauce may be added to the top before serving.

This recipe is so simple that Suzy, or any reasonably-intelligent teenager might be persuaded to prepare it and get it in the oven before Mom gets home. By doing so, she'll have more time to prepare for her date, and be learning valuable domestic skills at the same time.

Scrub a potato or two for each family member and bake them in the oven beside the meat loaf. When the main course is nearly ready, pop some ready-to-cook veggies into the microwave and cook as directed. Dinner rolls and butter on the table will add a touch of refinement to the evening repast.

Ice cream, frozen yogurt or pudding made the previous evening will complete the meal.

Voila! A supper fit for royalty!