Cheesy Meatloaf

I never used to like meatloaf but my husband was always asking me to make it. Over the years I think I've made it 30 different ways. There are so many different ways to make a meatloaf, and the thing I enjoy is that you can experiment with it every time you make one.

Most people think of hamburger when someone says meatloaf. The great thing about this dish is you can use any type of meat you like. Turkey or chicken is great for a healthier choice. Mixing ground pork with ground beef is quite popular and delicious. In Austria people wrap their meatloaf in ham before baking it. In Vietnam meatloaf is boiled rather than baked.

Ingredients for Cheesy Meatloaf

• 2-2 1/2 pounds of extra lean ground beef
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 of salsa
• garlic powder
• ground cumin
• 1 cup of whole wheat bread crumbs
• Slap Ya Mama white pepper Cajun seasoning, or cayenne pepper
• 1 medium cooking onion diced
• 1 medium green pepper diced
• 4 mushrooms sliced
• 1 1/2 cups of grated cheddar cheese, or cheese of your choice

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare the onion, green pepper and mushrooms.
3. Grate the cheese.
4. In a large mixing bowl combine the ground beef, eggs, and salsa.
5. Add the garlic powder, ground cumin, and bread crumbs. I didn't measure the spices, I just went by taste.
6. Mix all the ingredients in the bowl really well.
7. Take 1/2 of the meat mixture and press it into a loaf pan or baking dish. I used a glass dish that is slightly larger than a loaf pan. You can also divide the ingredients into 2 loaf pans if you wish.
8. Top with the grated cheese.
9. Press the remaining meat mixture on top of the cheese.
10. Place in the oven for 1 hour, or until cooked.
11. Remove from the oven and carefully drain any fat that is left in the bottom of the pan.
12. Let the meatloaf sit and cool for 5 - 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Side Salad

I served the meatloaf with a side spring mix and avocado salad,
and mixed vegetables.


Do you like experimenting when you make meatloaf?