In the Kitchen: the best meatloaf

That's right, you read the title correctly. Let's bring meatloaf back. It's the perfect season for it. Just starting to get that chill in the air and the craving for good ol' comfort food. Enter meatloaf. This is a seriously delicious recipe from Pioneer Women. And you know she never disappoints. Here's the details:

Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup Whole Milk
- 3 slices White Bread
- 1 pound Meat (I used half turkey and half beef)
- 1/2 cup (heaping) Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
- Few pinches of Seasoned Salt
- 1/4 teaspoons Salt
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Ha;f of ⅓ cups Minced Flat-leaf Parsley
- 2 whole Eggs Beaten
- 6 slices Thin/regular Bacon

Sauce:
- 3/4 cup Ketchup
- Half of ⅓ cups Brown Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Dry Mustard
- Tabasco To Taste

Preparation:
As a side note, I halved P Dubs recipe and it is the perfect size for two. if you're cooking for more, go with her full recipe.

Soak the slices of bread in milk for a few minutes. Next get out a large bowl and add in the beef, soaked bread, Parmesan, seasoned salt, salt, black pepper, and parsley. Separately beat up the eggs and then pour those in as well. In true PW fashion I used Parmesan Reggiano and shredded it myself.

Here's where it gets interesting. You have to get in there and mix together the meatloaf with your hands. I didn't think I could do it bare-handed, so this is when latex gloves come in very handy. After you mix it together, get out your broiler pan (very important, the slots in this type of pan help the grease drain!). Form the meat into a loaf and put on your broiler pan. Of course this step was when I discovered my oven didn't come with a broiler pan? I improvised...

OK and here is the good part, layer on the bacon now!

Next, put together the sauce. Mix the ketchup, brown sugar, dry mustard and the best part, Tabasco sauce.

Reserve a little of the sauce for dipping, and spread the rest generously over the top of the meatloaf. Then put this little nugget in the oven at 350 for 45 minutes, then pour another 1/3 of the sauce over the top. Bake for another 15 minutes.

Make sure to let this get almost a little browned on the edges, that's the best! And again, you can see all of PW's pictures here.

I think this goes great with potatos and if you're going to make potato's try this way. It was honestly the most delicious red skins I've had in a long time - and so simple. Slice up a few red skins into wedges. Throw them into a baggie with olive oil and coat well. Then put them in a baking dish and season generously with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until they look done. Sprinkle parsley over the potatos when they are done. YUM. These were seriously better than fries.

Linking up to "Tasty Tuesdays" over at A Beautiful Mess!


And linking to the Trendy Treehouse's "Creative Share Wednesday"