Cheese Stuffed, Bacon Wrapped.. Meatloaf

It's exactly as the title says.. minus the best thing I have ever put in my mouth!! I decided to make this after my cousin posted she was making bacon wrapped meatloaf for dinner. I was so excited to see Bacon.. it didn't matter what it was with!! I followed her link to the recipe and actually put off making it for day (the whole night dreaming and drooling over it). The day I made this I was actually scheduled off work, not an impromptu day off :)

The time finally came and the excitement was over the top.. BACON.. that was my thought!! Emma and I had been to the store earlier that day to get all the ingredients and that's where the epiphany came to me.. cheese in the middle!

To begin:

 I placed the meat, seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic, italian seasoning and paprika), egg and bread crumbs (italian flavored) into bowl. mixed well with the best mixer I have.. my hands! the chopped up onions and threw those into!

Next:


I split the mix in to two parts. The first half I lined the bottom of a loaf pan (the original recipe did not use a pan just shaped the loaf). then I took about 1 1/2 cups cheese and put that on top of the meat, leaving space all around the edge to press the top meat and bottom meat together. Leaving the cheese to get all gooey in the middle and not run out the sides :)



And then:

The BACON!! It took about 6 pieces of bacon to cover the top of the loaf, over lapping the pieces. I also bought a thinner cut bacon as opposed to the thick supper yummy type. Again in the original recipe with out the pan the bacon wrapped all around the formed loaf, which then sat on a rack inside a pan for the drippings. Since there are some in the fam that aren't as crazy for bacon as I am.. I played nice and only topped the meat loaf.. sooooo nice of me!

The final steps:

The ingredients... Ketchup, mustard, brown sugar.. and for us I added the extra kick of horseradish! Whisked it all together til creamy-ish...

whola! used half the mix to cover the top.








After 45 minutes of cooking this lovely beast I added the other half of the sauce to the top and cooked for another 15 minutes  Unfortunately.. or maybe fortunately I did not get a chance to click a final shot as the hubby and I took the loaf out of the oven and served it right away to the hungry troops, and with in 25 minutes of serving it.. the loaf was GONE!! that's right it was soooo good nothing was left but some grease in the bottom of the pan!

The Recipe:

Ingredients

• Meatloaf:
• 1 cup Whole Milk
• 6 slices White Bread
• 2 pounds Ground Beef
• 1 cup (heaping) Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon Seasoned Salt
• 3/4 teaspoons Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1/3 cup Minced Flat-leaf Parsley
• 4 whole Eggs Beaten
• 10 slices Thin/regular Bacon
• Sauce:
• 1-1/2 cup Ketchup
• 1/3 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
• Tabasco To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour milk over the bread slices. Allow it to soak in for several minutes.

Place the ground beef, milk-soaked bread, Parmesan, seasoned salt, salt, black pepper, and parsley in a large mixing bowl. Pour in beaten eggs.

With clean hands, mix the ingredients until well combined. Form the mixture into a loaf shape on a broiler pan, which will allow the fat to drain. (Line the bottom of the pan with foil to avoid a big mess!)

Lay bacon slices over the top, tucking them underneath the meatloaf.

Make the sauce: add ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and hot sauce in a mixing bowl. Stir together. Pour 1/3 of the mixture over the top of the bacon. Spread with a spoon.

Bake for 45 minutes, then pour another 1/3 of the sauce over the top. Bake for another 15 minutes. Slice and serve with remaining sauce.

The site:

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/09/my-favorite-meatloaf/

By: Ree Drummond a.k.a. The Pioneer Woman

Just so every one knows.. I do think this woman is my newest hero!! She started out like I did.. spoiled in the city, and ended up in the middle of somewhere! Me I just ended up in the woods of northern Minnesota which I would trade for the world!

<3 Try the meat let me know how yours turns out.. if you make modifications like I did or if you followed to a T.  :) Happy cooking and such!