Tags
bacon, bell peppers, dry beef base, dry white wine, eggs, Garlic, herbs, honey, lean ground beef, milk, Onions, parmesan cheese, pepperoni, shredded pizza cheese, sour cream, strained tomato purée, tomato paste
I had some mini-pepperoni that just seemed like they would be a nice addition to some lean ground beef…I was thinking maybe a taco-like thing, but The Latin Lover said, “We haven’t had meatloaf in a while. I love meatloaf”…well, what more could a Goddess want to hear? That intrigued me, so I checked the fridge and realized this could happen. The end result? Admittedly, not as much of a pizza flavor as I anticipated, but it was pretty tasty. 
And we really, really like the sandwiches from the leftover meatloaf.
So here’s what I did—
Dump all the meatloaf ingredients into a bowl, then get your hands (no rings, please) into the mixture. Mix as lightly as you possibly can, but it need to be thoroughly combined. Place sliced onions and bell peppers in a skillet; I use cast iron. Shape into two loaves; them mixture will be quite soft. 
Place the meatloaves opposite each other, against the sides of the skillet. Roast in a 300°F oven for about 35 minutes. 
While the meatloaf roasts, combine the topping ingredients; set aside. 
Remove the skillet from the oven, smear half of the topping over each loaf. Return to the oven and roast an additional 30-20 minutes or until done. 
Immediately after you remove the skillet from the oven, place a half-pint canning jar upside-down, directly on the bottom of the skillet (see more about this here). Tent the skillet with foil and leave for 5-10 minutes, or until the fat has been sucked up into the jar. Do not disturb the jar. Remove one or both, of the meatloaves, 
slice into 1/2-inch thick slices and serve with some of the onion/pepper mixture on the side.
Skillet Pizza-in-a-Meatloaf
I made this into two loaves—One to eat and one to freeze, but you can certainly make one larger loaf.
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef (I used 93% lean)
- 5 slices pre-cooked bacon, coarsely chopped
- 1 handful mini-pepperoni (about 2/3 cup—see NOTE)
- 1 small onion, minced
- 4 cloves garlic, put through a press
- 1 tablespoon dried tomato flakes (optional or 2 tablespoons tomato paste)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dry beef base (the powdered type, not the paste type)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dry basil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dry oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic granules
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup strained tomato purée or tomato juice
- 1/4-1/3 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cup sour cream or Greek-style yogurt
- 1 cup pre-shredded pizza cheese blend
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan (I use Parmesan-Regiano)
- Flavor enhancers:
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 1 bell pepper (or 5 small, mini-bells), seeds removed and thinly sliced
- Topping:
- 1/2 cup strained tomato purée
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoon pizza seasoning (see NOTE)
- Drizzle of honey (optional)
Get out a large bowl, drop in the ingredients in the order given (more or less!), except the topping ingredients. Now, take off your rings, wash your hands and get them in there. Mix, as lightly as possible, but thoroughly. It should be pretty soft. Use a large cast iron skillet (or a skillet that can go in the oven). Place the sliced onions and bell peppers evenly over the bottom of the skillet; set aside. I divide the meat in half, form each half into a loaf and place on each loaf against opposite edges, leaving a space in the center. Place in a 300°F oven (preheat or not). Bake for 35 minutes.
While the meatloaf roasts, combine the topping ingredients. Stir until very well combined. Remove the skillet from the oven and spoon the topping mixture evenly over each loaf. Return to the oven and continue to roast for 20-30 minutes or until the center registers 160°F on a thermometer.
Remove the skillet from the oven. Immediately place an 8-ounce (1/2 pint) canning jar (it must be a glass jar) upside-down, directly on the bottom of the skillet. Leave in place for at least 5 minutes. You may loosely cover the meatloaf with foil. The fat in the skillet will be “sucked” up into the jar. Leave the jar in place.
Remove one of the meatloaves from the skillet and slice into 1/2-inch thick slices. Serve with some of the onion/pepper mixture in the skillet. To store, let cool for at least 30 minutes. Wrap each meatloaf in plastic wrap, then in foil. Store in the fridge or freezer for later.
NOTE: I used mini-pepperoni, but you may dice regular-sized pepperoni slices or a whole stick. I use a pizza blend of herbs/spices I’ve purchased someplace. You may add 1 1/2 teaspoons of dry Italian seasoning, with a large pinch of red pepper flakes, and that will be equally delicious. I do use the honey, as I think the touch of sweetness compliments the tartness of the tomatoes. But that’s up to you.
Skillet Pizza-in-a-Meatloaf Recipe©Marcia Lahens 2019. All rights reserved.
Goddess Cooks 