Cheeseburger Meat Loaf-Improv Challenge

The ingredients for this month’s Improve Challenge hosted by Kristen over at Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker are cheese and crackers.  We could use any kind of crackers and any kind of cheese and do anything we wanted as long as the cheese and crackers were included.

I hadn’t made meatloaf in a while and had been disappointed with the meatloaf recipes I had tried that included cheese in the ingredients.  The cheese always seemed to disappear into the meatloaf so that it didn’t even seem to be there.  I had toyed with the idea of making a layered meatloaf, sandwiching the cheese between layers of meatloaf mixture.  This seemed to be a good time to try it.

I had made meatloaves with saltine crackers, but chose to use Ritz Buttery Garlic crackers in this meatloaf.  I also used ketchup for the moisture.  This made the meat loaf quite red.

The meatloaf did not slice quite as nice as I would have liked, probably because of the layering technique I used.  I prefer to make free-form meat loaves, but the meat loaf can be baked in a loaf pan.  I would line the pan with foil.

Hubby and I both really liked the flavor of this meatloaf.  He had two big helpings.  This recipe will have a permanent place in my “tried and true” recipes.

Cheeseburger Meat Loaf
1 1/2 lb.  lean ground beef (I used 80/20 because that is what was on sale, I would have preferred 85/15)
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed (I used Buttery Garlic)
1 t. seasoned salt (I used Lawry’s)
1 t. sage
1/2 c. ketchup
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 T. minced, dried onion
2 eggs
1 c. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Place ground beef in a mixing bowl.  An easy way to crush the sleeve of crackers is to hold the sleeve between your hands and push them toward each other.  The crackers will crush easily.  Remove paper and add crackers to ground beef.  Add seasoned salt and sage and mix together lightly.  Measure ketchup into a glass measuring cup.  Add Worcestershire sauce and dried onion.  Add eggs and beat well.  Let set for a few minutes to allow onion to soften.  Add to ground beef mixture and mix well.  Divide meat into three equal amounts.  Grease a 7x11-inch baking dish.  Take one-third of the meat mixture and form into a rectangle in the baking dish.  Sprinkle 1/3 cup of the cheese over the meat rectangle.  Keep the cheese at least 1/2-inch from the edges.  Form second third of meat mixture into a rectangle over the first layer.  Sprinkle another 1/3 cup of the cheese over the second meat layer, again keeping the cheese at least 1/2-inch from the edges.  Form a rectangle with the last third of the meat mixture and place over the second layer.  Smooth the outside edges together to seal in the cheese.  Place in oven and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle the last 1/3 cup of cheese over the top of the meatloaf.  Bake another 15-20 minutes.  Let set for 10 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.

You can find all the information for joining in the fun of Improv Challenge by visiting Kristen's Improv Challenge Page.

Check out the links below to see what other bloggers have made with cheese and crackers.

Pasta and Cheese Stuffed Meat Loaf-Improv Cooking Challenge

Pasta and cheese are the two ingredients that Kristen from Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker picked for the September Improv Cooking Challenge.

In trying to think about something a little different, I remembered that, when my kids were growing up, I made a dish called Macaroni and Cheese Meat Loaf.  The kids liked both meat loaf and mac and cheese, so they really liked having them together.  Two comfort foods, what more could they ask?

I haven't seen the recipe I used in years but thought that I could probably create one of my own.  I adapted a recipe I found in my recipe cards (copied from Family Circle in 1981) that had mac and cheese served on top of a meatloaf. I am sharing the meatloaf mixture that I used, but your favorite meatloaf recipe that uses 1 1/2 lbs. meat can be substituted.  I chose to use rotini pasta so that is why I did not call the recipe Mac and Cheese Stuffed Meat Loaf.  I did not include a topping because the pan is very full, but a very thin one could be added, if desired.  I love red peppers and used them for nutrition and color, but have listed them as optional in the recipe.  Leave them out if you have picky eaters.

To prevent having to clean the oven, I place the loaf pan on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Pasta and Cheese Stuffed Meat Loaf
1 1/2 c. rotini, macaroni or other pasta
1/2 c. finely chopped red pepper (Optional)
1 egg
2/3 c. evaporated milk
1 T. butter or margarine
1 T. flour
3/4 t salt
Pinch black pepper
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese (I prefer sharp, but you can use mild or medium or American cheese if you prefer)
1 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 c. dry breadcrumbs
1 T. minced dried onion or 1/2 c. minced fresh onion
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
2/3 c. evaporated milk
1 T. Worcestershire sauce

Cook pasta according to package directions, undercooking it 1 to 2 minutes and adding red pepper to pasta water 1 to 2 minutes before you remove the pasta from the heat.  Meanwhile beat egg and milk together in a small bowl.  Drain pasta.  Return pasta to pan and quickly stir in  butter or margarine, flour, salt and pepper.  Heat and stir until butter is melted.  Stir in milk/egg mixture and cook stirring constantly until mixture is thickened.  Stir in cheese until melted.  Set aside.   Place ground beef in a large mixing bowl.  Add bread crumbs, instant minced onion, salt and pepper.  Mix to combine.  In a glass measuring cup, mix together evaporated milk and Worcestershire sauce.  Add to ground beef mixture and mix lightly but thoroughly.  Place half of the meat mixture in a well greased 9x5-inch loaf pan and spread evenly.  Top with all of the pasta mixture, spreading evenly.   Cover pasta mixture with remaining meat mixture.  (Pan will be very full.)  Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees about 1 hour.  Cover and let set for 10 minutes.  Drain off any fat if necessary.  Slice and serve.  Makes 6 to 8 servings.

More Improv next month with cake and frosting.  You can find out more about joining the Improv Challenge by visiting Kristen's Improv Page.

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Potato Zucchini Meat Loaf Roll

Good Monday, all.  Welcome to my new followers.  As always many thanks to those who take time from their busy lives to stop and read this blog.  You are much appreciated, and I hope that what you find here is useful to you.

Still getting zucchini from my daughter, still trying to find ways to use it.  As I said last week, hubby really doesn’t care for zucchini except in sweets, but this is a dish that I dreamed up that passed muster with him.  He actually said that it was very good and ate the leftovers for his dinners last week until it was gone.

It wasn’t all that creative, I just decided to use my go-to meatloaf recipe, roll it out and spread it with a filling of shredded potato, zucchini, diced red pepper and onion bound together with an egg, add some grated cheese, roll it up and bake it.

Now I would like to say that everything went smoothly, but I did have a little trouble with the meat roll separating a bit in the middle.  There are two things that I will do differently the next time I make this.  I will salt the zucchini and potato. put it in a sieve and press some of the moisture out.  I will not pat the meat loaf mixture out as thinly as I did this time.

I omitted the onion in my meat loaf since I was putting it in the filling.  I used a Lucerne (Safeway) product called Mac and Cheese Blend grated cheese which melted very nicely in this.  I made a simple gravy to serve with the meat roll using a can of beef broth, 1/4 c. flour, 2 t. Worcestershire sauce, a pinch of garlic powder and a bit of coarse ground pepper.  Ketchup or tomato sauce could also be spread over the top of the roll before putting it in the oven.

Zucchini, Potato Meat Loaf Roll
1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 c. dried bread crumbs
1 t. salt
1/2 t. rubbed sage
1/4 t. pepper
2/3 c. milk
1 egg
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 c. grated potatoes, about 2 medium potatoes, peeled
1 c. grated zucchini
1/2 c. finely chopped red pepper
1/2 c. finely chopped onion
1 egg, beaten
1 c. shredded cheese, flavor of choice

Place ground beef in a large mixing bowl.  Add bread crumbs, salt, sage and pepper.  Mix lightly to combine ingredients.  Measure milk into a glass measuring cup.  Add egg and Worcestershire sauce and beat well with a fork or whisk.  Add to meat mixture and mix lightly until well blended.  Spread a length of foil (about 15 inches long) out on baking sheet.  Turn meat mixture out onto foil and press out to about a 1/2-inch thick rectangle.  Place potato and zucchini in a sieve and salt lightly.  Let sit for a few minutes over a bowl.  Press vegetables with the back of a spoon to remove excess moisture.  Place in a medium bowl and add red pepper and onion.  Add beaten egg and mix until all the potato and zucchini is moistened.  Spread the vegetable mixture in an even layer over the meat mixture.  Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the vegetable mixture.  Using both ends of the foil to assist, roll up as for a jelly roll.  Leave foil under meat loaf and place baking pan in oven.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Remove from oven, bring ends of foil over meat loaf and let sit 10 minutes before serving.  Cut into slices and serve.  Makes 6 to 8 servings.

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Teriyaki Mini Meat Loaves

A number of years ago, Safeway sold a dry teriyaki mix to use to make teriyaki hamburgers.  The package had a recipe for a teriyaki meat loaf on the back, and it was a meat loaf that we loved.  Unfortunately, the product is long gone so I had to make a few adjustments to continue to make the recipe.

The original recipe mixed the dry mix with 1/4 c. of water.  I now use 2 T. liquid teriyaki sauce and 2 T. water or milk as there is additional milk in the recipe.  This gives a mild teriyaki flavor to the meatloaf.  For a more pronounced teriyaki flavor, the teriyaki sauce can be increased and the water or milk decreased.

I often make this as a large, regular meatloaf but make mini meat loaves when I am pressed for time.  We like it both ways.  The large meatloaf may be cooked in a loaf pan if desired.  I just prefer my meat loaves to be free-form so I don’t use a loaf pan.

Teriyaki Meat Loaf
1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. fine bread crumbs
1/2 t. oregano
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 T. teriyaki sauce
2 T. water or milk
1/2 c. milk
Kikkoman Teriyaki Baste and Glaze or catsup for glazing meat loaf (optional)

Place ground beef, onion, garlic, bread crumbs, oregano, salt and pepper in a medium mixing bowl and mix together lightly.  In a small bowl, combine egg, teriyaki sauce, water and milk.  Mix to blend well.  Add to ground beef mixture and mix lightly but thoroughly.  Form in a loaf shape or into 6 mini loaf shapes.  Place in a greased baking pan.  Bake at 350 degrees about 1 hour for the large meat loaf and about 45 minutes for the mini meat loaves.  Baste with Baste and Glaze or Catsup after meat loaf or loaves have cooked about 30 minutes.  Serve with additional Baste and Glaze or catsup if desired.  Serves 6.

Linking to these great parties:
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Show Me What You Got Tuesday
Tasteful Tuesday
Tuesday Talent Show
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Two Cup Tuesday

Hidden Treasure Mini Meat Loaves

It is Monday and time for me to welcome my new followers and to thank all who take the time from their busy lives to read this blog.  I appreciate it very much and hope you find the information I post here useful.

When my kids were growing up there were two things that they liked when it came to food.  One was getting their own individual dish of something and the other was dishes with interesting names.  So this could have been Cheese Stuffed Mini Meat Loaves, but my kids would have preferred Hidden Treasure Mini Meat Loaves.

Meatloaf isn’t the standby in this home that it used to be what with the price of ground beef now, but I do make it fairly often.  This one is still a favorite because each person gets their own little meatloaf with cheese hidden inside and topped with a tomato gravy.  Even though kids no longer live here, these are always welcome at our table.

Various cheese can be used here.  I have used cheddar, Swiss, Colby/jack and mozzarella.  For a little kick, pepper/jack would probably be good.

The tomato soup topping is something that my mother always put on meatloaf, and I have continued this tradition.

Hidden Treasure Mini Meat Loaves
1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
3/4 c. quick or old fashioned oats+
1 t.  salt
1/4 t.  pepper
1 t. poultry seasoning
1/4 c. chopped onion
3/4 c. milk
1/4 c. ketchup
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
8 (1/2x1 1/2 sticks) cheese of choice
1 can (10 oz.) condensed tomato soup

Place ground beef in a mixing bowl.  Add oats, salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and onion.  Mix together well.  An easy trick to measure the liquid ingredients is to measure the milk into a 2-cup glass measuring cup.  Add ketchup until the liquid reaches the 1 cup mark.  Add Worcestershire sauce.  Break egg into the cup and mix everything together well.  Pour into ground beef mixture and mix gently until everything is well combined.  Putting a stick of cheese into each one, shape mixture into eight equal size mini loaves.  Make sure that cheese is totally encased in the meat.  Place loaves in a greased baking pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Place equal amounts of undiluted tomato soup on top of each loaf.  Bake 15 to 20 minutes more.   Spoon any soup/gravy in the bottom of pan over meat loaves when serving them.  Makes 8 servings.

Linking to these great parties.
Busy Monday
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Sweet and Sour Meat Loaf

It is another Monday, and I want to say “Thank You” to all who come by and take the time to read this blog.  It is truly appreciated, and I hope what you find here is useful to you.

I had to work an extra night last week, so decided to make a meatloaf for hubby to warm up for dinner.  This is a new recipe that has been in my computer files forever.

Using different mustards in this will give the sauce a slightly different flavor each time.

I make my meat loaves free-form in a 7x11-inch pan so that a sauce topping can be  used.  I did not get a chance to take a photo before the meatloaf had been sliced so the pic is not a particularly good one.  What is there about meat that it just doesn’t photograph very well?

Sweet and Sour Meat Loaf
1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 c. dry bread crumbs
1 t.  salt
1 t. poultry seasoning
1/4  t. pepper
2  eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 c. finely chopped onion or 2 T. instant chopped dried onion
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce -- divided
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
3 T. brown sugar
2 T. rice or wine vinegar
2 t. prepared mustard

Mix together beef, bread crumbs, salt, poultry seasoning, pepper and eggs. Add onion, half of the tomato sauce and the Worcestershire sauce.  Form into a loaf shape and place in a baking pan.  I use a 7x11-inch glass one.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. In a saucepan, combine sugar, vinegar, mustard and remaining tomato sauce. Bring to a boil. Pour over meat loaf and bake 10 minutes more.  Serves 6 to 8.

Linking to:  Hunk of Meat Monday
Recipe Sharing Monday
Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Must Try Monday
Mangia Monday
Made by You Monday
Making Monday Marvelous

5-Spice Barbecued Mini Meat Loaves

This is a favorite recipe that I have been eating since I was a child.  My mother found it in a gas company cook booklet.  It is also my oldest daughter’s favorite meat loaf.

The original recipe was called Lemon Barbecued Meat Loaves and the sauce used allspice and cloves.  I changed it over the years and now use Chinese 5-spice as I like the slightly licorice flavor that it provides.  If you don’t like or can’t find Chinese 5-spice, I have given the amount of allspice and cloves to use.

I like to use a whole grain bread.  The recipe says stale bread.  Any bread over a day or two old is fine.  The crusts may be removed from the bread slices before dicing if desired.

You can make the meatloaves and sauce ahead, cover and refrigerate them and bake them at dinnertime.  Add about 10-15 minutes to the cooking time.

The recipe suggests placing lemon slices on top of the meatloaves.  It makes a nice garnish, but I don’t usually bother.

The sauce is good spooned over mashed potatoes, noodles or rice.

5-Spice Barbecued Mini Meat Loaves
1 1/2  lbs  lean ground beef
4 slices stale bread, diced
1/4  c. lemon juice
1/4  c. minced onion
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 1/2  t.  seasoned salt
1 c. ketchup
2/3 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
2 t. dry mustard
1/2 to 1 t. Chinese 5-spice powder or 1/4 to 1/2 t. each allspice and ground cloves
6 thin lemon slices, for garnish, if desired.

Preheat oven to 350°F.    In a large bowl, combine ground chuck, bread, lemon juice, onion, egg and salt.    Mix well and shape into 6 individual loaves; place in foil-lined 9x13" baking pan.  Bake 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a  small bowl, combine remaining ingredients except lemon slices and mix until smooth.  Pour mixture over loaves and top each with a lemon slice; bake 25 minutes longer, basting occasionally with sauce from pan.  Serve sauce over loaves.

Linking to:  Mangia Monday

Melt in Your Mouth Monday

Hunk of Meat Monday

Must Try Monday

Surprise Meat Loaf

This meat loaf takes a little more effort than most meat loaves, but it is well worth it.  It also stretches a pound and a half of ground beef enough to make 8 to 10 servings.  People seem to like the surprise element of finding stuffing inside.  I use my favorite meat loaf recipe that calls for 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef.  Another favorite recipe could be used instead.

I make a beef-flavored cream sauce/gravy to serve with this.  Do try to use the freshly ground pepper. It makes a difference.  We don't care for the taste, but a couple of packages of gravy mix or even canned gravy could be used.  I like to serve this with mashed potatoes and a veggie.

Surprise Meat Loaf

2 eggs, beaten
1 c. milk
2/3 c. finely crushed butter-flavored round crackers (about 20)
1/2 c. finely minced onion (or use 2 T. dry minced onion)
1 t. salt
1/2 to 3/4 t. rubbed sage or poultry seasoning
1/8 t. pepper
1 1/2 t. lean ground beef (I use 85/15)
2 T. butter
1 c. chopped celery (about 3 ribs)
1 medium chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped red pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. minced parsley
1/2 to 1 T. rubbed sage or poultry seasoning
1/2 t. salt
dash pepper
1 egg, well beaten
1 1/3 c. dry bread crumbs.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk, crushed crackers, onion, salt, sage or poultry seasoning and pepper.  Mix well.  Add ground beef and mix until it is well combined with the other ingredients.  Line a 5x9-inch loaf pan with waxed paper or foil, letting it extend beyond the sides.  Using 3/4 of the meat mixture. line the bottom and side of the loaf pan.  Set aside.  Melt butter in a medium frying pan.  Add celery, onion, red pepper, and garlic.  Sauté until tender.  Cool slightly.  Add parsley, sage or poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Mix well.  Add egg and bread crumbs and mix thoroughly.  Turn stuffing into meat lined loaf pan, patting down lightly.  Top with remaining meat mixture, sealing stuffing inside.  Using the extended waxed paper or foil, turn loaf into a greased 7x11-inch baking dish.  Seal meat mixture over stuffing where necessary.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  For a moist top, cover meat loaf at least for the first 30 minutes.  For a crisper top, leave meat loaf uncovered. Let stand 10 minutes after removing from the oven.  Serves 8 to 10.

Quick Gravy
1/4 c. butter or margarine
1/3 c. flour
2 c. milk
1 c. water
2 T. Better than Bouillon Beef Broth Base or bouillon granules
generous sprinkling of freshly ground pepper

Melt butter in a medium saucepan.  Stir in flour.  Let cook 1 or 2 minutes.  Gradually stir in milk and water.  Heat until boiling.  Add Broth Base or bouillon granules.  Cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes.  Sprinkle generously with freshly ground pepper.  Makes 2 c.

Linking to:  Hunk of Meat Monday
Melt in Your Mouth Monday
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Newbie Party
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Ingredient Spotlight