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Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf Sliders


These little sliders are some of the best things I've had lately. Ever fix yourself a sandwich with leftover meatloaf? These are even better, because you get the baked-on sauce in every bite, not just on the top. Plus, they bake faster than a regular-size meatloaf does, so there's not as much waiting, and there's a great balance of meatloaf and cheeseburger flavors.

Besides, meatloaf sliders are just fun. :)



Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf Sliders

Ingredients:

* 1 pound lean ground beef (I used 96%)
1/3 cup real bacon bits 
* 4 oz. shredded cheese (I used 2% fat Mexican blend)
* 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
* 1/2 cup bread crumbs (
I used slices of day-old french bread, toasted, then crumbled to about pea size, then measured. If you use commercial bread crumbs, which are very fine, you might want to use less)
* 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
* 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1 (3-ounce) can French fried onions (divided use- half in the burger mixture and half on top)

* 1/2 cup ketchup
* 1 tablespoon prepared mustard 
* Slider buns or small rolls
* Optional: I also added 2 tablespoons of brown sugar to the ketchup mixture before dividing it- I like a sweeter meatloaf topping. If you like a more savory topping, just leave this out.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cover a half-sheet size cookie pan with sides in heavy duty foil. Spray foil with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the bacon bits, and the next 7 ingredients through the black pepper, mixing well. Stir in a little less than half of the french fried onions, breaking up the larger pieces. Crumble the ground beef into this mixture and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the ketchup and mustard (and brown sugar, if using). Stir 2 tablespoons ketchup mixture into meat mixture. Reserve remaining ketchup mixture for topping.

Combine the meat mixture thoroughly. Shape the meat mixture into small patties, just slightly larger in diameter than the buns you will be using. I made indentations in the center of each burger so that they would bake evenly and not puff up in the middle. I ended up with 9 sliders.



Ready for the topping

Place the burgers on the prepared pan, and brush them liberally with the reserved ketchup mixture. Bake at 350 degrees until done (at least 160 degrees, or until no longer pink inside), about 35 to 40 minutes. About 5 minutes before the burgers are done, sprinkle them with the remaining french fried onions, breaking up the larger pieces. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until onions are nicely browned. Remove from oven, and let burgers sit in the pan for 2 or 3 minutes before serving.




Lightened up and adapted from Paula Deen's Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf.

Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf Sliders may have been taken to some of these fun parties!





13 comments:

  1. What a fantastic idea!!! Oh, these look wonderful, and what a great food for watching football games at home! You have the best ideas- my husband MUST try these! Actually, I know several people that must try these... Sharing this recipe- thank you!!!

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  2. I always wondered what would keep my burger patties from puffing up in the middle -- how simple can you get?! Great recipe!

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  3. Thank you, Mary! I think these would be good for the Super Bowl, now that you mention it! :)

    Thank you, Diwiyana! I don’t remember where I read that hint...it wasn’t original with me, but it does work! :)

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  4. joy, thank you for the visit. Oh my, your pictures and recipes are wonderful. My husband will love the fudge! I got hungry pinning them.
    Wanda Ann @ Memories by the Mile

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  5. Thanks, Wanda Ann! I'm so glad you came by! :)

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  6. How adorable and tasty do these look! Thank you for sharing! :)

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  7. Thank you, Nicole! They were fun to make! :) Thanks so much for stopping by!

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  8. This recipe sounds fantastic! I love sliders and I really love the idea of meatloaf sliders!

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  9. Thank you for joining our party at Foodie Friends Friday! I have chosen your sliders as my host favorite for this week's party, and your recipe will be featured in an article on The Daily Dish Magazine on Monday called "Recipes that Caught Our Attention" which features all of the hosts' favorite recipes from the Foodie Friends Friday party! Check it out tomorrow at www.dailydishmagazine.com!

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    1. Ericka, I'm so happy and flattered that you liked my sliders- thank you!! I love Foodie Friends Friday! :)

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  10. So cute, Joy! Thanks for sharing and linking back to Foodie Friends Friday!

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    1. Thanks, Cindy! FFF is always so much fun! :)

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  11. Thanks for sharing at Saturday Dishes. Pinned to the party board ~ Paula

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