Mini Dijon Mustard Meatloaf

I know most people aren't overly excited about meatloaf, but oddly enough it's something that I really enjoy. I still remember Mom making meatloaf when I was a kid and seem to remember enjoying it.  Mom might have different recollections of these memories but we'll go with my side of the story for now.

The best part of meatloaf is always the crunchy bits you get along the sides where whatever you've put on top of the meatloaf has caramelized.  The combination of the ketchup, Dijon mustard and cheese on this meatloaf creates the most perfect crust on top of each of the loaves.  The cheese inside keeps the meatloaf super moist, and let's just be honest, everything is better with cheese! This recipe was adapted from a recipe I found online but apparently I forgot to Pin it so I can't even give the original poster credit.

 

Mini Dijon Mustard Meatloaf (Makes 4 mini loaves)
2T Dijon mustard
2T ketchup
1 lb ground beef
1 egg
1/2 cup Panko
1 cup shredded mozzarella, divided
1/2t salt
1t pepper

Mix together mustard and ketchup in a small bowl and set aside. In a large bowl combine beef, egg, Panko, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. Form mixture into 2"x4" loaves and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush loaves with the ketchup and mustard mixture and top with the remaining cheddar cheese.  Bake at 450° for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.

To Freeze: Allow loaves to cool completely.  Wrap each loaf in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag.
To Serve: Thaw loaves and reheat in the oven.

John could probably eat these meatloaves three times a week and I doubt Roman would mind. The pair of them gobbled up every bite of their meatloaf and John even went back for more, which Roman promptly tried to steal. I know a meal is a winner with Roman when he starts offering up compliments on my cooking without John having to tell him too. He was only a few bites in before he exclaimed "this is really good mom!".