White Cheddar Meatloaf

I. LOVE. MEATLOAF.  I love it!  I think it's one of those classic comfort foods that is just sooooo yummy!  I have a meatloaf recipe that I've made for years and years.  My Tuscan Meatloaf has always been my "go to" meatloaf recipe, but a couple of weeks ago, I couldn't find the red currant jelly I needed to make this recipe.  So...I decided to create a NEW meatloaf recipe, and OMG the results were DELICIOUS!  I always use ground turkey because I have never been a fan of ground beef.  I would like to try making it with ground beef just to see how it turns out, or maybe a mixture of beef and turkey.  This White Cheddar Meatloaf is my new favorite!  YUM!  I paired it with white cheddar mashed potatoes (cause you can NEVER have enough white cheddar) and green beans.  Unfortunately I didn't get a great picture of the meatloaf, but I promise you, it was DELICIOUS! Next time I make it I promise to get a better picture :).

White Cheddar Meatloaf

• 1 lb ground turkey (or ground beef, although I haven't made it with ground beef so I am not sure how it changes the flavor-if you do make this with beef, let me know how it turns out! I would love to hear!)
• 1 tbsp. dried minced onion (I like to use dried onion in meatloaf because the meat holds together better around it.  You can certainly use fresh onion if you prefer, I just like the result better with dried onion)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp. and 2 tsp. mustard (I used dijon), divided
• 1 tbsp. and 1/4 cup ketchup, divided
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (you could also use regular milk but I like the rich flavor of buttermilk in this recipe)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sharp white cheddar (I used Beecher's but any sharp white would be good, like Kerry Gold would be AWESOME too!)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a small bowl, soak the breadcrumbs in the buttermilk for about 5 minutes until the milk is absorbed and the breadcrumbs are moist.  In a large bowl, add the turkey, onion, garlic, worcesterhire, 1 tbsp. mustard, 1 tbsp. ketchup, breadcrumbs in buttermilk, eggs, salt and pepper, and cheddar.  Mix well (I use my hands).  Shape loaf in a large baking dish or loaf pan- I use my Pampered Chef deep covered baker for meatloaf.  In a small bowl, mix the remaining ketchup, remaining mustard, and brown sugar.  Spoon over meatloaf and spread evenly.  Bake 60-65 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.  Remove from the oven and cover with foil or baker lid and allow to rest for 10 minutes before cutting.  Yum!

* UPDATE- I made this with ground beef and it was AH-MAZ-ING!  I still prefer it with turkey but David actually liked it better with beef! YUM!

Until next time, happy and healthy cooking!