Bacon Mushroom Swiss Cheese Meatloaf

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground beef and pork mix (or just beef if preferred)

• 4 strips bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1 pint baby bella mushrooms, finely chopped

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup breadcrumbs

• 1/2 cup milk

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1/2 cup ketchup (for topping)

• 2 tablespoons butter or bacon grease (for sautéing)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

2. Cook bacon: In a skillet, cook bacon pieces until crispy. Remove bacon with slotted spoon, leaving grease in pan.

3. Sauté vegetables: Add butter or use reserved bacon grease; sauté mushrooms, onions, and garlic until softened and browned. Remove from heat.

4. Mix meatloaf: In a large bowl, combine ground meat, cooked bacon, sautéed mushrooms/onions, eggs, breadcrumbs, milk, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and thyme. Mix well but don’t overwork.

5. Assemble: Shape half of meat mixture into a loaf on a baking sheet or loaf pan. Layer half of the Swiss cheese over it, then top with remaining meat mixture, pressing gently to seal.

6. Top with ketchup: Spread ketchup evenly on top of meatloaf.

7. Bake: Bake for about 50 minutes. Remove from oven, top with remaining Swiss cheese, and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted and meatloaf reaches 160°F internally.

8. Rest and serve: Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.