Have you ever had a bad meatloaf, one you did not like?
Find out how it was made...and just eliminate what you did not like.
It's amazing how many different versions of that there is. Tells me that it's all up to the cook to invent her own I think. No right or wrong way, just whatever tastes good to you.
Me, I don't like 'mushy'... so there won't be a lot of milky bread or oatmeal in mine... it's mostly only just seasoned meat.
When I get my cookbooks unpacked in the next few days I'll write up the one I use.
Even with a basic recipe I never seem to make it the exact same way each time. Sometimes it comes out just right, other times not.
Maybe it should be called 'mystery' loaf.
Hmmm...I've never noticed any cooking competitions at the fairs for meatloaf...lol. Probably don't have any judges that would want to taste all the weird concoctions set before them.