Mac and Cheese Stuffed Meatloaf

Meatloaf:

· 6 ounces bread crumbs

· 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

· 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

· 1 teaspoon chili powder

· 1 teaspoon dried thyme

· 1/2 onion, roughly chopped

· 1 carrot, peeled and broken

· 3 whole cloves garlic

· 1/2 red bell pepper

· 18 ounces ground chuck

· 18 ounces ground sirloin

· 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

· 1 egg

Optional glaze:

· 1/2 cup catsup

· 1 teaspoon ground cumin

· Dash Worcestershire sauce

· Dash hot pepper sauce

· 1 tablespoon honey

Mac and Cheese:

· I used boxed mac and cheese and just make it 1 minute less time than it calls for. Less messy than from scratch but you can do that if you want.

Recipe:

· Heat oven to 325 F or 162 C.

· Make mac and cheese, it can cool a bit while you do the rest

· Into a large bowl combine bread crumbs, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and thyme. Finely chop the onion, carrot, garlic, and red pepper THIS CAN BE DONE IN A FOOD PROCESSOR (Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped, but not pureed.) Combine the vegetable mixture, ground sirloin, and ground chuck with the bread crumb mixture. Season the meat mixture with the kosher salt. Add the egg and combine thoroughly, but avoid squeezing the meat.

· Set up a place where you can flatten the meat. I used a sheet pan covered in parchment paper. You need the parchment paper!!

· With your hands flatten the meat to about 1’ or 10cm thick.

· Put the mac and cheese in the middle and spread out like a loaf of bread

· Use the parchment paper to roll the sides of the meatloaf over the mac and cheese and seal the top and ends.

· Leave it on the parchment paper when you cook it.

· Insert a temperature probe at a 45 degree angle into the top of the meatloaf. Avoid touching the bottom of the tray with the probe. Set the probe for 155 F or 68 C.

· Combine the catsup, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and honey. Brush the glaze onto the meatloaf after it has been cooking for about 10 minutes or don’t, up to you