Cheddar Onion Mini Meatloaf

I know. I know. You were expecting something a little more Easter-y.

Sorry folks, it ain't gonna happen today. Although I will tell you I recently discovered you can make a ham in the crock pot. Life changing stuff, I'm telling you. I used a spiral sliced pre-cooked ham, set it in some apple juice, and rubbed it all over with a brown sugar mustard mixture. I cooked it on high for four hours and ended up with tender, juicy ham and a delicious sweet sauce. And my oven wasn't even turned on. Revolutionary stuff.

But, wait, I'm all distracted now. We're not here to talk about ham. We're here to talk about meatloaf and friends. Blogger friends, actually.

I have cyber friendships with a few other foodie bloggers, but I've only had the privilege of meeting two of them in person. One of them, the lovely author of the blog Pineapple Grass, just so happens to live approximately six and a half minutes from my house, so we get to see each other quite a bit.

Tara has been doing this blogging thing for a lot longer than I have, and her blog shows it! She's got hundreds and hundreds of recipes and product reviews. Her recipes are always simple and straight forward--perfect for hearty weeknight meals, easy breezy desserts, and party pleasing appetizers. I've tried several of her creations and let me tell you, this girl can cook!

And another cool thing? She also includes book reviews on her blog. So whether you're wondering what to eat for dinner or what book to grab as you head for bed, Pineapple Grass is the place to go.

Now about the meatloaf. You all know I have some serious devotion to my beloved Harlem Meatloaf, but let me tell you, this baby gives it a run for its money. This meatloaf is so juicy and flavorful, we ate it for dinner one night and leftovers the next 3 days in a row! Tara also tells me the unbaked meatloaf freezes well, though I've never had the chance to try this since we always devour the whole thing the first time around. I mean, really who can say no to adorable individual portion sized meatloaf? Not me, friends. Not me.

I hope you'll enjoy this lovely recipe and take a minute to check out Tara's blog too. Have a blessed Easter weekend everyone!


Cheddar Onion Mini Meatloaf
Yield: 6-8 servings
Recipe adapted from Pineapple Grass

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground Italian sausage
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 packet onion soup mix
1 small whole yellow onion (or half a large onion), chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup ketchup
3/4 cup day old bread crumbs (I've used both sourdough and wheat with good results)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Add all ingredients to a large bowl. Using your fingers, mix everything together until thoroughly combined.
3. Shape mixture into 6-8 round, dome shaped loaves and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 1 hour or until outside is browned and no pink remains on the inside.