Meat Loaf ........ A good thing?

I don't think most people really like meat loaf.  It's an old standard and usually thought of as not the most healthy of foods.  But I believe other wise.  Here I'm giving you a basic recipe with lots of alternatives and it just might change your mind about meat loaf.

1-1/2 lb lean ground beef
1 cup milk
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp Mrs. Dash
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1 large egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 large onion chopped
1/2 red bell pepper chopped
1/2 cup ketchup

Heat oven to 350*F.
Saute onion, garlic and bell pepper. (5 minutes)  Let cool slightly.
In large bowl, mix all ingredients except ketchup.  Shape into 9x5 inch loaf in ungreased 13x9 sheet pan.  Spread ketchup over top.
Bake uncovered 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.  Or until thermometer reads at least 160*F.
Let stand 5 minutes; remove from pan.

Alternatives:
You can make a Mexican meat loaf, Italian meat loaf or an Asian meat loaf.
Beef can be replaced or mixed with; ground turkey, pork or italian sausage.
I use Mrs. Dash, but you can use any seasonings or fresh herbs you like.
Bread crumbs can be replaced with; crackers, sliced bread or brown rice.
I've also added beans to my meat loaf for added protein.
To make mexican meat loaf, cut milk to 2/3c. and add 1/3c. salsa and throw in some shredded cheese, black beans and diced green chile's.  Replace ketchup w/ salsa.
Asian meat loaf, add some asian spices and put sweet-n-sour sauce on top.
BBQ meat loaf, put a drop of liquid smoke in the mixture and top with bbq sauce.
You can add just about any vegetable to your meat loaf, just finely chop and toss into the mix. Additional bread crumbs may be needed because of the moisture content in the vegetables.
I've made individual meat loaves by dividing the mixture into medium muffin cups. Cook for about 30 minutes. Then top with mashed potatoes and grated cheese.  They looked like a real cupcake and the kids loved them.

See, there are so many options when making meat loaf. 
So, Is meat loaf a good thing? I say yes!!