First of all, I have to say a HUGE thank you for all of your kind words, e-mails, comments, texts, and EVERYTHING for the little news we shared yesterday. You brought me to tears (although it COULD be the hormones! Ha!) But seriously. You all blessed me so much. I can’t wait to have you all along for this crazy ride!

Now, onto today’s post!

I’m actually a little surprised with myself that I haven’t shared this recipe yet. So, before you click away, hear me out.

I HATE meatloaf. Yes, hate is a strong word. And that’s how I feel about meatloaf. It’s gross. However, my sweet, dear husband LOVES meatloaf. He LOVES it.

Well, I refuse to make gross meatloaf, but for the sake of my husband and the search for a meatloaf recipe that we would BOTH like, this recipe was born.

Trust me, it is NOT like gross meatloaf you ate as a kid. This meatloaf is flavorful, cheesy, and oh so delicious. I make it ALL the time and husband does a huge FIST PUMP when he takes a bite he loves it so much. And it makes GREAT leftovers.

It’s great with different sides, I just happened to make it with cheesy bacon mashed potatoes, and seasoned broccoli and okra last week. But I’ve made it with a good salad, baked potato, or even rice pilaf! Sky is the limit.

So, here’s the recipe.

SUPER DELICIOUS CHEESY TURKEY (or chicken!) MEATLOAF:

• 1-1.25 lbs of ground chicken OR ground turkey (Doesn’t matter, I’ve used both!)
• 1/2 cup of skim milk
• 1/2 cup of lemon pepper panko breadcrumbs (I used Progresso Lemon Pepper breadcrumbs)
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper to taste (approx. 1 tsp. of each)
• 1/2-3/4 lb. of shredded colby jack cheese (Honestly, I sometimes use more, but I’m kind of like a mouse. I LOVE cheese. So use as much as you want, really.)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together. You can do it with a fork, but I often just go for the gold and mix it with my hands so I know that I’m really mixing it together and getting all those ingredients meshed well. Be sure to wash your hands WELL before and after!

In a loaf pan, put your mixture in and make sure it’s even all the way across.

Then place in the oven for approximately 35-40 minutes or until the center temperature of the loaf reaches 180 degrees.

NOW, about 2-3 minutes BEFORE the meatloaf is done, I place a layer of shredded cheese ON TOP of the meatloaf and let it melt. DON’T let it burn. It’s gross that way. Let the cheese just melt on top. Perfection.

Enjoy!

What about you? Are you a meatloaf lover? Will you try this recipe? Let me know what you think!

xo,

Molly