Glazed meatloaf is covered in a sweet-spicy cherry BBQ sauce for full-on flavor.

Cherry glazed meatloaf makes the standard meatloaf a bit more exciting.

Have you ever cleaned the outside of your house windows? When you start thinking about it, it sounds crazy to not do it — and yet, we hadn’t done it until this past weekend, when a friend and I grabbed some squeegees and uncovered sparkling clear glass. I still can’t quite get over it.

All this cleaning and yard work we’ve been doing to get the house ready to sell means by the time dinner rolls around, we are HUNGRY. I mean, I thought my husband ate meals quickly before, but there’s nothing like the appetite of a person who has done manual labor all day.

I decided we had to have meatloaf. Not only to feed our hunger, but also to help calm my nerves a bit about this whole selling-building situation. Yeah, it’s summer, but sometimes you just need some comfort food. Plus, that cherry BBQ sauce was primed and ready to be used.

Glazed meatloaf is covered in a sweet-spicy cherry BBQ sauce for full-on flavor.

Growing up we always made meatloaf with ketchup or barbecue sauce, so I knew this glazed meatloaf would be terrific. Considering how my 2-year-old gobbled it up, I’m going to consider it a win. Plus it made enough for leftovers the next day, but if your kids are older than mine that might not be the case.

Obviously, the perfect pairing for glazed meatloaf is mashed potatoes, but in the summer I just go with some green beans. My favorite roasted corn salad would also be a spectacular side.

If you don’t want to bake this meatloaf, you can follow the directions for slow cooking in this taco meatloaf instead. The top won’t get as beautifully glazed, but it will be just as tasty. You could always finish it under the broiler, too.

Cherry glazed meatloaf is a spicy-sweet, comforting meal you'll love.

Making the cherry BBQ sauce does add some time onto this recipe, but you can do that a day or two in advance, when you have extra time.

Be sure to cook the meatloaf all the way, and test with a meat thermometer if needed. Ground beef must be cooked completely.

Cherry Glazed Meatloaf

Name: Cherry Glazed Meatloaf
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds ground beef; 1 cup Cherry BBQ Sauce, divided; 2/3 cup rolled oats; 2 large eggs; 1/2 cup chopped onion; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Glazed meatloaf is covered in a sweet-spicy cherry BBQ sauce for full-on flavor.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup Cherry BBQ Sauce, divided
2/3 cup rolled oats
2 large eggs
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a large bowl, combine beef, 3/4 cup BBQ sauce, oats, eggs, onion, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper until well mixed.
Form into a loaf and place onto a baking sheet.
Bake for 1 hour, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Brush meatloaf with remaining BBQ sauce, then return to oven for about 15 minutes.
Let cool slightly before slicing and serving.