Mini Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf Cupcakes

These are cheese-filled! That's my favorite part. The delicious, ooey-gooey cheesy middle. Mmmm. Fun to make and yummy!

1 c Panko
1/2 c Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 egg
1 lb ground chicken breast
1/2 c diced red pepper
1/2 c diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp fresh basil
salt/pepper
mozzarella cubes (about 3/4x3/4")
marinara sauce

Preheat oven to 400 F. In a small bowl, combine the panko, half of the Parmesan cheese, and the olive oil. Using your fingers, combine the mixture until it's evenly coated. Set aside.
In a large bowl, lightly beat the egg. Then add the chicken, red bell pepper, onion, garlic, oregano, the remaining Parmesan, basil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well with your hands.
Lightly coat a mini muffin tin with cooking spray. Place a couple of tablespoons of the chicken mixture in each well. Nestle a cube of mozzarella in the center of the mixture. Pat the chicken over the cheese to completely cover it.
Sprinkle the panko/Parmesan mixture on top of each chicken mound, lightly pressing it into the meat.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the panko is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through. If needed, you may broil the panko to further brown it. Let rest 5 minutes. Then using a knife, lightly loosen each cupcake from the muffin tin. In the meantime, warm the marinara sauce in a small saucepan. Serve meatloaf cupcakes with warmed marinara.

Original recipe found here.

Cajun Meatloaf

This is really good! We liked the spicy kick this meatloaf had. A nice change from regular meatloaf.

1.5-2 lbs lean ground beef
1 bell pepper (any color), diced
1 whole onion, diced
2 stalks celery, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs
3 tbsp butter
1-2 c bread crumbs
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 c milk
2 c ketchup
2 tbsp honey
hot sauce

Dice bell pepper, onion, and celery. In a large pan, over medium-high heat, melt 3 tbsp butter. Add diced veggies, plus 4 cloves minced garlic and about 1/2 tbsp salt. Let cook for a few minutes, then add 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, and 1/2 tsp nutmeg, pepper, and cayenne pepper, each. Depending on how hot you like it, add a few shakes of hot sauce. Next, add 1/2 c ketchup - cook and stir for a few more minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for several minutes. Then add 1/2 c milk and at least 1 cup of breadcrumbs. Stir the mixture until it's a nice, thick paste.

Place ground beef in a large bowl. Whisk 2 eggs together and add to meat. Then add the Cajun veggie mixture. With clean hands, mix everything together really well. Line a cooking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Mold meat mixture into a loaf - it should be kind of flat and wide. About 1 1/2" tall. In a small bowl, mix together 1 c ketchup and 2 tbsp honey. Slather on top of loaf. Bake at 400 degrees for 40-50 min.

Original recipe found here.

Cheesy Salsa Mini Meat Loaves

Such a fun idea... and tasty too! Mmm, looking at the picture below makes me want to go have another.

1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 c finely chopped onions
1 egg
1/2 c crushed crackers (I used red-fat Ritz)
1 1/2 c, divided, Mexican cheese mix shredded
1 c salsa, divided

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine beef, onions, egg, crackers, and 1 cup of cheese with 1/2 c salsa. Press into 12 muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray. Use the back of a spoon to make an indentation in the center of each meatloaf. Put muffin pan on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 20-25 min. Top with remaining salsa and cheese, and bake for about 5 more minutes.