Make a big rat meat loaf for Halloween dinner.

Every year I like to make gross meals for my grandkids around Halloween.  They absolutely love it and look forward to it every year.  This year I made rat meat loaf, sweet potatoe bones, and lizard eyes in black sauce. (Creamed peas tinted black.)

Meat loaf:

Make meat loaf like you usually do but then mold it into a rat shape on a cookie sheet with edges or a baking pan.

Ears:

Cut piece of bologna into four pieces.  Fold each quarter as shown and stick it down into the rat’s head.

Tail:

Cut a long strip of bologna to use as a tail.  Stick it into the rats behind.

Eyes:

Stick two olives into the meat loaf for the eyes.

Bake as you normally would and enjoy the reaction of your guests when you unveil their main course.

I also make a piquant sauce to go with it and, of course, call it a blood sauce.

This meat loaf recipe was given to me by a wonderful lady by the name of Mary Ruth.  I haven’t seen her for many years but think of her every time I make this meat loaf.  I’m sharing this recipe because I know it stays together as it bakes and because it’s really good.

2/3 cup bread crumbs

1 cup milk

1  1/2 lbs lean ground beef

2 eggs slightly beaten

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp sage

Mix all ingredients together and bake at 350 degrees for about an hour and a half.

Piquant Sauce

3 tbsp brown sugar

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp dry mustard

1/3 cup catsup

Mix, heat, and serve over meat loaf.

(I usually double the sauce recipe because everyone loves it and likes to put extra on their meat loaf.)

I served mine with sweet potatoes because my grandaughters love them but you could use regular potatoes as well. I mashed them and then put them in a frosting bag with no tip and squeeze them out on the plates in the shape of bones.  I make two dots then the long strip and then two more dots on the other end.

I also made creamed peas and tinted the white sauce black with black paste food coloring.

Happy Halloween!

About Elaine Kazinec

I have never met anyone who can't make wonderful things for their homes, friends, and family, only those who think they can't. The purpose of this blog is to show everyone how really simple most projects for the home are to make. When my husband and I bought our first home we were short on cash so I learned to be long on creativity. I have been told that I can make something wonderful out of nothing and that is true. You can too! Some of my favorite things are items that I found in someone's junk pile. I am going to show you how easy it really is. I hope you find the courage to jump in and attempt some of these projects. You will be amazed at how talented you really are.