Mexican Style Meatloaf

I guess I should start this entry by saying that I'm not a huge fan of meatloaf. I mean, it's okay, I will eat it every once in awhile, but it's not my favorite. There aren't many things that I make with ground beef...I'd rather use some other form of beef. But Matt really likes my meatloaf, so I make it for him every once in awhile. But I don't make "normal" meatloaf. I change it up and add in the flavors that I like so I can least try to enjoy it. Ha, ha! :) I have several other recipes for jazzed up meatloaf, but I've been working on this one for a couple of days, so I wanted to try it out. And surprisingly, I really liked it. I was going to call it Nacho Meatloaf, but I didn't want you to think that it was covered in that goopy Nacho cheese sauce because that sounds a little gross. As you will see, it has all of the ingredients of nachos except for the nacho cheese sauce. Anyway, I suppose I should just get on with it...

-1/2 lbs of ground beef (I use 80-20 to keep it moist. If you use 93-7, you still have to add some sort of fat to it, like extra virgin olive oil or it will be bone dry when it's done.)
-3 to 4 scallions, chopped
-1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped
-1/3 cup of chopped pickled jalapenos (or to taste, but I recommend just using this amount. You don't want to overpower the meatloaf, plus you can also top your piece of meatloaf with more jalapenos.)
-1 can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
-2 handfuls of Monterrey jack cheese (or your favorite Mexican cheese blend)
-1 cup finely crushed tortilla chips (you can use a food processor or just put them in a freezer bag and pound away!)
-1 egg, beaten
-a heavy splash of Worcestershire sauce
-1 TBS coriander
-1 TBS chili powder
-1 TBS paprika
-about 1 cup of your favorite jarred salsa
Optional, but recommend toppings
-sliced avocado
-sour cream (I used light sour cream, it tastes the same as regular)
-more salsa and jalapenos


Preheat oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, herbs, spices, Worcestershire, beans, cheese, chips, jalapenos and the egg. Carefully, but thoroughly begin mixing the ingredients together. Try not to smash or squish (technical meatloaf terms. Ha, ha!) the mixture so you don't crush the beans. Form into a oval mound and place into a 9x5 loaf pan. Spread the salsa over the top in an even layer and bake for 30-35 minutes. Let the meatloaf rest for 5-10 minutes after removing it from the oven. Slice the meatloaf and top each portion with some avocado and sour cream or any other toppings you want.

We just had a big salad with this, but you could also make Spanish rice or fried or baked potatoes. There is a definite bonus to making meatloaf...you can put almost anything in it! :) Enjoy!