Hot Mess Kitchen

Let me start by saying I am one of the pickiest eaters and I am not really a fan of meatloaf, however, I have a husband who loves it and a mother who highly recommended this recipe. I do not take credit for this recipe at all but wanted to share it because it is amazing! This is a Joanna Gaines recipe for meatloaf and it turned out awesome and crispy. Hope you get a chance to make it!

Ingredients:

For the Meatloaf:

• 2 tbsp salted butter
• 1/4 cup chopped onion or onion flakes
• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
• 1 sleeve (4 oz) saltines, crushed
• 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese (I did not have this so I used mexican blend)
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 2 tbsp ketchup

For the Mashed Potatoes:

• 5-6 russet potatoes
• 1 stick of butter
• 1 cup of milk
• 1-2 tsp minced garlic (depends on how much you like)

For the Green Beans:

• 2 cans green beans, drained
• 3 slices of bacon
• 1 tsp minced garlic

Instructions:

1. Start by making the meatloaf. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat and saute onions until translucent. If you are using onion flakes, just until browned.
3. Remove from the heat and let cool.
4. In a large bowl, combine beef, cooled onion, crushed saltines, cheddar, eggs, tomato sauce, worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Use hands to gently mix together (be sure not to be too rough our over mix it)
5. On a 9×13 inch or other large baking pan (with a lip) , form the mixture into a 6×9 inch loaf.
6. Put the ketchup on top and brush out evenly to cover it.
7. Bake until firm (170 degrees using meat thermometer), about 1 hour. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
8. While the Meatloaf bakes, peel and cut your potatoes for mashed potatoes.
9. Place in a large pot and cover with water. Boil on medium-high heat until tender (fork slides right out when poked).

Mashed Potatoes:

1. Drain water and return potatoes to pot.
2. Add butter, milk, and minced garlic and beat using a hand mixer until smooth and creamy. I added some salt and pepper to mine as well.

Bacon Garlic Green Beans

1. For the green beans, cut bacon into small pieces and cook in a small pot until crispy.
2. Add in the garlic and the drained green beans and let cook, stirring to break up the green beans.