Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf

Courtesy of Paula Deen

Nick came home one day to me watching the Food Network - this happens a lot. He then got sucked into Paula Deen's show - which also happens a lot. He was essentially drooling at this one particular episode, so he decided he was going to make it over the weekend. I was perfectly OK with that idea :) Since Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf screams comfort food, unhealthy, etc. I decided I would make a similar side to go along with it, which will posted separately. Stay tuned for the Macaroni and Cheese. I think what made the meatloaf was the sauce and the fried onions, yum.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground chuck
• 10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 (8-ounce) package sharp Cheddar, grated
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs, toasted
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons prepared mustard
• 1 (3-ounce) can French fried onions

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck and next 8 ingredients, mixing well. In a small bowl, combine the ketchup and mustard. Stir 1/4 cup ketchup mixture into meat mixture, reserving remaining ketchup mixture. Press meat mixture into a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan, or shape into a loaf and place on a rack in a broiler pan. Spread remaining ketchup mixture over loaf. Bake 40 minutes. Top with French fried onions; bake another 10 to 15 minutes, or until meat is no longer pink.

Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

This is something I've never cooked before, and I wanted to try something different. I found that this meal was pretty light since the meat is low in fat; it was a nice change! I'm also a sucker for anything using marinara sauce ... and cheese. Per usual, this was great for leftovers the next day :)

1 pound ground chicken
2/3 cup marinara sauce, plus another few tablespoons to coat (I used Rao's -- delicious)
1 tb fresh basil, chopped
1/2 tb chopped garlic
few dashes of salt and pepper
1 tsp Italian seasoning
dash of crushed red pepper flakes
5-6 slices of fresh mozzarella

Combine the ground chicken, marinara sauce, basil, garlic, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Grease a loaf pan with cooking spray. Pour into the pan and bake at 350 for approximately 30 minutes. Once the chicken pulls away from the sides, it's cooked. Spread the top with marinara sauce and top with fresh mozzarella. Bake for another 5-10 minutes. Enjoy!

Good Ole' Meatloaf & Mashed Potatoes

Courtesy of Plated Perfection (and my Mom)

You've probably noticed that I was blessed with great women cooking great food all of my life! I've posted a few of my Mom's recipes that were some of my favorites as a kid (and as an adult). This meatloaf is another one of hers :) And yes, I got her permission to post it! I must say, the best part about this dish is the sauce that goes with it. I could put it on many things, and I actually put it on stuffed peppers, whenever I make those. But back to the point, this recipe is for the meatloaf and the delicious sauce that goes with it. What goes best with meatloaf? Mashed potatoes! These are my own recipe, but I top them with Mom's sauce :) I highly recommend it.

Meatloaf + Sauce
1.5 pounds ground beef (I used 85/15 but will probably go with something leaner next time)
1/2 diced green pepper
1/2 diced red pepper
1 small onion
1 egg
8 oz. tomato sauce (you'll use half in the meatloaf, half for the sauce)
1 tsp salt and dash of pepper
2 slices bread (crumbs) or 3/4 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup water
2 tb vinegar
2 tb mustard
4 tb brown sugar
3 tb tomato paste (optional -- something I added to thicken the sauce a bit)

In a bowl, mix together the ground beef, salt, pepper, red peppers, green peppers, onion, egg, half the can of tomato sauce, and the bread crumbs/oatmeal. If using bread, pulse the slices in a food processor to get good sized bread crumbs. Mold the mixture into a greased loaf pan (ideally). Bake at 375 for 1 hour. Top with some of the sauce (recipe below) and bake an additional 15 minutes.

In a saucepan, combine the rest of the tomato sauce, water, vinegar, mustard, brown sugar, and tomato paste. Bring to a simmer and serve on top of the meatloaf and mashed potatoes (recipe below).

Mashed Potatoes

6 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 tb butter
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tsp salt and pepper
2-3 tb fresh chives

Boil the potatoes for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until tender. Drain. Combine the butter, sour cream, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Either blend in a mixer until smooth or mash until you reach your desired consistency. Top with chives and the meatloaf sauce!