Meatloaf Muffins Stuffed with Cheddar Cheese

Meatloaf Muffins Stuffed with Cheddar Cheese

A Great Twist On Mom's Meatloaf

Meatloaf is one of those comfort meals that my husband enjoys in the fall and winter, so it's what we had for dinner last night.  It's just one of those meals that make you feel like your home and remind you of mom's cooking - something that many military men/women enjoy since having mom's cooking doesn't happen often.  One thing I do, is make my meatloaf in muffin tins.  It makes a crispy muffin top and allows for easy portion control.  Another great thing about making your meatloaf as muffins - you can freeze your left overs for a quick meal later.  I kick my meatloaf up by adding a piece of cheddar string cheese to the center.  It gives you a warm melted cheese taste with every bite - something we love at our house. This is really easy to make and tastes great over mashed potatoes and gravy (another comfort meal we love at our house).

Here's how I make mine:

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 40 min

Total time: 55 min

1 lb of 93% ground beef

1 large egg

4 T Italian seasoned bread crumbs

3 T grated Parmesan cheese

1 medium chopped onion

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1 T chopped garlic

1 T Italian seasoning

3 reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese Sticks

Additional Salt and Pepper for topping

BBQ Sauce (optional)

To start out preheat your oven to 350.  In a mixing bowl mix the ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, onion, black pepper, salt, garlic, and Italian Seasoning.  Then, using a half dozen muffin tin spray your pan with cooking spray.  Fill your muffin tins with the meat - load them up so they look like cooked muffins that have already risen.  When you have shaped your muffins, take your finger and poke a hole down the center of each "muffin."  Now cut your Cheddar Cheese Sticks in half and push them into the hole you made in the center of the muffin.  Sprinkle the top with salt and pepper to taste.  Sometimes I will cover mine with our favorite BBQ sauce for an extra kick, but this is optional.  Bake at 350 for 40 minutes then serve.

Hope you enjoy!