Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf

You can't go wrong with bacon!

Bao sent us an assignment each. Anh 2 Mike was flourless chocolate cake (previous post)...mine was meatloaf. Both were delicious!

If you like bacon cheeseburger and meatloaf, you can't go wrong with this. I'm thinking about modifying this to make it takes like Carl's Jr. Western Bacon Cheeseburger by using BBQ sauce instead of the ketchup/mustard combo. Might be delicious...

Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen. Modifications include a dash of onion powder, garlic powder and paprika. I like big flavor. I also added 1/4 of a cup of the fried onions mixed into the meatloaf mixture before baking. We love onions!

I also formed 2 handformed loaves instead of using a pan. I learned this trick from Alton Brown...doing it this way gives room for fat to render out of the meatloaf...Fat = NOT good eats.

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

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck and next 8 ingredients, mixing well.
3. In a small bowl, combine the ketchup and mustard. Stir 1/4 cup ketchup mixture into meat mixture, reserving remaining ketchup mixture.
4. 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 (I used an oven thermometer until it reached 160 degrees F).