Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Taco Meatloaf




While I was going through notebooks with recipes written down by my great-grandmothers, I came across a “cookbook” from the Kansas City Star Magazine. This cookbook was dated October 24, 1971, and it has many recipes that were submitted by cooks from throughout the Kansas City metro area. One of the recipes that caught my fancy was a taco meatloaf. I love tacos and I love meatloaf so I thought why not. The recipe was submitted to the Kansas City Star by a Mrs. Ray G. Roberts from Overland Park, KS.

 I made this as the main dish for our Monday night family dinners. Almost every Monday night, my parents, I, my sister, brother-in-law and my niece and nephew get together for a family dinner. Since I am starting this blog, my family is going to be the guinea pigs of any recipes that I try out. The taco meatloaf was a hit with them.

Parentheses indicate the changes that I made to the recipe.

TACO MEATLOAF

2 pounds ground chuck
1 cup crushed taco shells (I used Fritos.)
1/3 cup taco sauce
2 tablespoons taco spice
1 egg
½ cup Monterey jack cheese, crumbled (shredded)

Combine all ingredients. Press into loaf pan or ring mold. Bake at 375 degrees for 60 minutes. Pour off excess fat. Return to oven about one minute. (I added taco sauce to the top of the meatloaf before returning it to the oven.)

To vary the oven for hamburgers: Omit egg and Monterey Jack cheese. Make hamburger patties as usual, rolling them a little thin. Top with cheddar cheese after frying and serve on a bun with taco sauce.

Some variations that I thought of while making the meatloaf:
  • ·         Use ground turkey or chicken for a healthier option
  • ·         Crush more taco shells to add to the top of the meatloaf for a garnish and to add a little crunch.
  • ·         Make a taco meatloaf taco by placing a slice of meatloaf in a taco shell and then topping with your favorite taco toppings.
  • ·         Using crushed tortilla chips instead of taco shells.


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