Taco Meatloaf

After all of the rich foods that the holiday brings, isn’t it about time for a plate of comfort food?  I always find myself craving meatloaf come year’s end, so this recipe sounded most appealing while paging through my new digital subscription to Taste of Home magazine.  Mr. O-P who is not the fan of meatloaf that I am, really enjoyed this one, and ate two generous slices.  Think of a taco without the shell, and you'll get the idea. It's lightly spicy, enormously flavorful, with the perfect touch of sweetness on the top. My guess is that the kids will love this one.

The original recipe called for the loaf to be baked in a crockpot, but a round loaf just seemed wrong to me, so I cut their recipe in half, and pressed it into a half-size loaf pan (3.5”w x 7.5”l x 2.5”h), filling it completely, and baked it for 1 hour at 350°F.  Perfect!

Taco Meatloaf

Adapted from a recipe in Taste of Home

1 cup crushed tortilla chips

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup salsa (I used Paul Newman’s original)

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 Tablespoons sliced ripe olives

1/2 envelope taco seasoning

1 pound ground chuck

1/4 cup ketchup

2 Tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

1 Tablespoon Louisiana-style hot sauce

In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Place meat mixture in the loaf pan of your choice, and bake at 350°F for 1 hour until juices run clear.  Remove pan to a wire rack and let stand for 5-7 minutes before turning loaf out onto a cutting board and slicing into ½”-thick slices.  Serve with a side of guacamole.

This post is linked to:

On the Menu Monday

Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Try a New Recipe Tuesday