Pork Loaf

This is a new-wave meatloaf! I just purchase a 1-pound piece of smoked ham at the deli department for this and chop it finely on my processor, any brand will do as long as it is a smoke flavor ham, or save some of your cooked leftover ham to make this! I have made it two times in one month, including today, and has become a favorite of my familys. You can use regular saltine crackers for this in place of whole wheat crackers, and red bell pepper can be substituted for green, or use both!

• Ready In: 1 hr 25 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 4 -6  tablespoons butter
• 1  medium onion, chopped
• 1  small bell pepper (green or red bell, seeded and finely chopped, or use half a pepper of both!)
• 1 1⁄2 lbs ground pork
• 1  lb smoked ham, finely chopped
• 1  cup  whole wheat crackers or 1  cup  saltine crackers, crushed
• 1  cup milk
• 2  large eggs, slighty beaten
•  salt and black pepper (I use about 1/2 teaspoon salt)

• GLAZE

• 1⁄2 cup orange marmalade
• 1⁄2 cup Dijon mustard
• 1⁄3 cup brown sugar, packed

Directions

1. Set oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
3. Add in onions and bell pepper/s; cook until veggies are tender, stirring occasionally (about 8-10 minutes) then cool the mixture completely.
4. In a large bowl mix together ground pork, ham, crushed crackers, milk, eggs, pepper, salt and the cooled onion/pepper mixture; mix well to combine.
5. Shape into an approx 9x5-inch loaf, and place onto a shallow greased baking pan.
6. Using a long knife, make shallow criss-cross (diamond) pattern in the top of of loaf.
7. Bake for 30 minutes.
8. Meanwhile for the glaze blend the orange marmalade, Dijon mustard and brown sugar in a small bowl.
9. After 30 minutes of baking remove from oven and drizzle about 1/3 cup glaze over loaf and return to oven to bake for another 15 minutes.
10. After 15 minutes, drizzle the remaining glaze over loaf and bake for about another 22-25 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the center of the loaf reads 165°F.
11. Transfer the loaf to a platter; let stand for 10 minutes.
12. Pour the pan juices into a small bowl and whisk to blend.
13. Slice the loaf and serve with the pan juices.
14. Delicious!