Mexican Meatloaf, Ole!

So I tried my first meatloaf experiment last night.  I used my friend Angie's suggestion to put a pack of taco seasoning and black olives in the meatloaf to make a taco meatloaf.  Only, I added a few of my own variations...

Instead of crackers (or bread crumbs, or oatmeal, etc.) I used crushed up tortilla chips!  It worked out great!  And, it was really really really fun to crush them up.  All you need to do is take a bag of tortilla chips and poke some holes in it to let the air out, lay the bag flat on the counter, and roll it over and over with a rolling pin as if you were rolling out dough!  It was so much fun, I can't wait to do it again.  And the bag kept it all contained!

I added in some extras like jalapeno peppers, salsa, and cheese.  I think the texture came out really well.  It was not really dry and crispy edged like I usually like with my regular meatloaf, but it was solid and not to soggy.

Here's all you need:

So without further ado, here's the recipe so you can try it too!  (OH!  I'm a poet again!!!)

1 lb. ground beef
1 regular sized bag tortilla chips
1 jar salsa
1 bag shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup jarred jalapeno pepper slices
1/2 can black olives
1 packet of taco seasoning
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 305 degrees.

Mix ground beef, crushed tortilla chips, half jar of salsa, half bag of cheese, jalapenos, black olives, pack of taco seasoning, and eggs into a bowl.....yep you guessed it....mash it all up with your hand (don't forget to wash first!).

Morph it all into a ball or loaf, bake for 45 minutes.  Take out and top with remaining salsa and cheese, bake another 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted.  Make sure the meat is cooked all the way through by cutting and looking in the thickest part.

For some reason this version of meatloaf seems a little more dense so you will want to ensure it's done all the way through.  But it doesn't seem to take as long to bake.

Served topped with sour cream, more jalapenos or black olives, more salsa, cheese, whatever you wish!

I served mine with Chi Chi's Sweet Corn Cake Mix and salad.  It was YUMMY!! 

I was somewhat proud of my new creation.  My husband liked it too.  And one of the best parts is that it reheats well and leftovers do great for lunch.  It's one of those things that seems to taste even better the next day.

Happy DIY'ing! 
-Amy the DIY Monkey