Meatloaf Cupcakes!

Most of the time meatloaf is really quite drab. Well you're in luck. Because I have a recipe that tastes like awesome. AND to make it even cooler, it's in the form of a cupcake. 

I know...you're welcome.

Here's what you need to make it look cool:

• Reynolds^® Foil Baking Cups - You should really use the foil ones, otherwise the paper cups will stick to your meat...that not only sounds gross, it also is no good for taste. 

• A cake decorating bag...or like a frosting bag...whatever they're called. PLUS you'll need a tip that has a big hole. This is for the mashed potato frosting! I suppose you could probably use a big gallon sized ziplock bag with the corner cut out of it. 

• Peas!

Here's what you need for the meatloaf:

• 1 egg

• 3/4 cup milk

• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

• 1/2 cup quick oats

• 1/2 cup chopped onion (I prefer to use a TBS of minced onions...it's easier)

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 lb of ground beef

Mix that all up and thennnn:

In a separate bowl, mix

• 2/3 cup ketchup

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1 tsp mustard

Save this mixture for a little later

• Now, take a spoon and plop some meatloaf mixture into your cupcake foils. Fill them almost to the top. 

• Next, take the end of a mixing spoon, or a clean finger, and stab holes into the meatloaf. This is making little reservoirs for the ketchup/brown sugar mixture. Yum.

• Take the ketchup/brown sugar mixture and drizzle the meatloaf, hitting the holes you just poked. Don't use up alll of your mixture, because you need some of it for the 'frosting' later. Well, you could always make more, I guess...no big deal.

• Shove the meatloaf into the oven at 350° for about 45 minutes or so. But my oven is really crappy. So you should probably check them every 20 minutes just to make sure. You'll know they're done when it looks like cooked hamburger in the middle. 

While the meatloaf is cooking:

Make your mashed potatoes! My spousal unit makes the best mashed potatoes in the world. Challenge him, and you will weep in a losing fit. He puts cheese and sour cream and garlic and milk and stuff in it. <--that's his official recipe. (what...that's as good as I could get outta him.) 

Oh my goodness! Now comes the fun part!

Now that your meatloaf and mashed potatoes are done:

• Take your taters and put them in your cake decorating bag. 

• Make a swirl with the potatoes like the picture shown...or however you feel like doing it.

• Scatter some peas on the mashed potato frosting like you would sprinkles. Depending on how stiff your spuds are, you might have to kind of place the peas on one at a time to get them to stay put. That's what I had to do. 

• Warm up the remaining ketchup/brown sugar mixture and drizzle it on top of the mashed potatoes and peas kind of like a chocolate drizzle. 

• Stuff your face.

This makes awesome leftovers. I always thought lasagna is better the second time around. Meatloaf is pretty good twice baked too.