Recipe: Tex-Mex Meatloaf

An All American comfort food has gotten a Tex-Mex makeover…. and I must say it's just fabulous. Not only does it look fabulous… it tastes fabulous too!

I ran across a recipe from Betty Crocker for a Tex-Mex Meatloaf and scanned the ingredients … I thought I could do better…. and I did. This meatloaf is chocked full of flavor… all the flavors Mexican food lovers look for….

Meal Idea

As all meatloaves are… this one is quick and easy too…. and gives meatloaf night a whole new spin. I served this with cheesy mashed potatoes and Refried Beans….


I used canned refried beans since I was short on time… but jazzed them up a bit with a layer of cheddar cheese and chopped green onions…. a few minutes in the microwave or put in the oven during the last of the baking time of the meatloaf….and you have yourself a great little side dish…the meal was a terrific success… a definite do-over!

TIPS

I used a yellow pepper which has a terrific mild pepper flavor… you can substitute a green pepper or a red one if you prefer… be advised though… that the green pepper has a much stronger flavor and the red pepper is sweeter…





I always chop the onions and garlic together in a mini chopper so they get integrated together well….and I sauté the onions and garlic before adding them into the meatloaf mix… this makes them less pungent… you have a strong onion flavor without the bitter acid taste of the onion in your meatloaf.

The amount of bread crumbs will depend greatly on the canned tomatoes you use… the recipe is written with a range for the amount. I used Rotel mild tomatoes with green chilis…. This brand tends to be a little more watery than other brands… so I needed quite a bit of bread crumbs. You want the meatloaf to hold together but not be dry.

I used my mini chopper to chop the parsley so it got very fine… if using fresh basil I chopped it with the parsley…. I highly recommend this method.

If using dried basil… use about ¼ teaspoon.

This meatloaf has a tiny kick to it… be careful adding more spice than called for in the recipe.

I made the meatloaf mix into two loaves and baked them for an hour…. If you make one large meatloaf then you will need to adjust your baking time… bake until a meat thermometer inserted into the center reads 160 degrees F.

Serve this meatloaf with fresh salsa and sour cream on the side….. serve with salsa on top and sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top of the salsa for a wonderful presentation.

This twist on an old favorite is a delicious meal the whole family can love!








Recipe: Tex-Mex Meatloaf

All you need:


1 ½ lbs. extra lean ground beef (90% or better)
1 can (10 ounces) Rotel Mild Tomatoes with Green Chilis
1 egg
1-1 ½ cups plain bread crumbs
¼ cup yellow pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder (I used McCormick Mexican Style)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ a large onion or 1 medium, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
4 leaves fresh basil, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
½ teaspoon paprika (not hot variety)
½ teaspoon oregano
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
Salsa
Sour cream
Finely shredded cheddar cheese (for garnish)
1 chopped green onion (for garnish)

All you need to do:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.



In a small sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Add the onions and garlic and sauté for about 4-5 minutes or until the onions are soft.



Remove from the heat and allow to cool enough to handle.





Combine all ingredients (except salsa, sour cream and cheddar cheese).








Mix well.








Shape into 2 loaves on foil lined pan . (this makes for a fast clean-up)




Bake for one hour or until a meat thermometer registers 160 degrees F.

Remove from oven and place on platter.

Spoon salsa over loaves.

Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and chopped green onion.

Serve with salsa and sour cream.