Bakin' with bacon

Do you know what this is?

It's quite possibly the best ever meatloaf I've ever made!  I got the recipe from Pioneer Woman.  I love this recipe for a couple of reasons.
  1.  It's wrapped in BACON!
  2.  It's baked on the broiler pan so it doesn't sit in the grease.  {As she suggests, I put a sheet of foil on the bottom tray to catch it all and make clean up a cinch...and it was!}

We had to tweak the recipe to make it dairy/gluten free, but it was still sensational.  You can click on the link above for Pioneer Woman's original recipe with all her glorious step-by-step pictures.

Below is our version.  You really must make this...TODAY!  :-)

Mom's Meatloaf
1 c. rice milk {if you don't like that - you could use 1 cup of beef broth}
2-ish c. rolled oats
1-1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. dried parsley
3 eggs
8 slices of bacon {1 package from Trader Joe's - Uncured apple smoked bacon}

Tomato Gravy
1 c. ketchup
4 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. dry mustard

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
• Place a sheet of foil lengthwise on the bottom portion of your broiler pan.  Secure on the sides.
• Mix the meatloaf ingredients {minus the bacon}.  Shape into a loaf.  Place the loaf onto the slotted upper part of the broiler pan.  Wrap with bacon slices and tuck under. 
• Mix the tomato gravy.  {perfect for kids who think ketchup is vegetable serving}
• Spoon half evenly over the meatloaf.
• Bake for 45 minutes.  Then spoon the remaining tomato gravy over the meatloaf and cook an additional 15 minutes. 

I served it with a big salad and roasted potatoes which are ridiculously easy to make and so delicious! 

In a large Ziploc bag, place
8-12 red potatoes, cubed
A generous drizzle of olive oil
A generous shake of salt and pepper

• Seal the bag {make sure it's really sealed!} 
• Shake to coat all the potatoes.
• Pour out onto a rimmed cookie sheet or jelly roll pan and spread out in a single layer.
• Bake either at 450 for 45 minutes OR at 350 for about an hour.

Enjoy!!