Pizza Meatloaf Cups

Submitted by Hippie2MARS

"A kid friendly dish and delicious for grown-ups too. I used a special pan from Pampered Chef, but a jumbo muffin tin will work here too. I use a frozen pepper stir-fry mix which is essentially green, red and yellow peppers and onions. Using it frozen helps keep the meatloaf moist. This recipe is so versatile. You can customize each meatloaf by adding pepperoni, spinach, mushrooms, olives, bacon, etc. in the middle!"

 

• Ready In: 55mins
• Ingredients: 8
• Serves: 6

ingredients

• 1 lb ground chuck
• 1 (3/4 ounce) packet good season's Italian salad dressing mix
• 1 cup frozen pepper stir fry vegetables
• 1 egg
• 1⁄4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1⁄2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1 cup pizza sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place frozen veggies in a mini chopper and chop fine; set aside.
3. Combine meat, chopped veggies, dressing mix, egg and Parmesan cheese until JUST mixed; do not overmix.
4. Scoop about 1/3 c meat mixture into each muffin cup and press down.
5. Sprinkle 2 T shredded mozzarella cheese on top of each cup.
6. Place another scoop of the meat mixture on top of the cheese on each cup, pushing to the edges to seal.
7. Bake for 35 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and top each muffin with 2 T pizza sauce and 1 T shredded cheese.
9. Return to oven and bake an additional 10 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Reviews

[Lavender1638Fawn]

I bought Jumbo Muffin Tins just for this, they take up less room than round too, two on one shelf! It says serves 6, my tins have 6 cups each but your pic shows 2 on a plate; but at my age I can judge!! There were some changes due to our vegetarian diets & shopping choices but it is the idea I liked. I am in the UK so don’t have the specific brand salad dressing mix; not many salad mixes in packets here, but I found something Italian inspired. I don’t like ‘seasoning’ breadcrumbs with salt things as well as salt in the salad dressing mix, so used basil & grated garlic. (A family member suggested adding mint which I will do next time; & there will be a next time – many of them!) Local freezers have sliced multi-colour peppers packs & separate packs of sliced onions. I also don’t know what Americans mean by Pizza Sauce: we don’t have it here – we have tomato puree, Passata (sieved tomatoes) & Bolognese sauce; Bolognese or that type is meant to be served over pasta, so too wet, so chose Passata. I fried veggy mince in olive oil first, lifted to a plate in case there was untoward activity amongst hot/cold things, then followed as stated. They were GORGEOUS, seriously GORGEOUS Oh Yum!!! SO I made some more, good job I bought 2 tins! Your pic showed what I thought was cheesy broccoli & pasta, so I made this too with mushy peas from a can & the dinner roll shown. Wonderful, if children are younger, serve a smaller tin portion or if dieting etc or for lunchox. Actually, what I found most cute about your suggestions was the ‘surprise’ inside. I read an article about a woman living/working in Japan; while fluent in speech, her reading was not. Every day on her way to work, she bought a pack of 2 rice balls at the local supermarket. These are a popular lunch in Japan & sold with a ‘treat’ inside, traditionally a plum, but now could be seafood, chicken piece, a vegetable, fruit etc, but she couldn’t read it before eating it to see. So I really love your idea! P.S. My nephew thought I wanted to cook this because we look alike – as I have always had long dark, curly bushy hair I wondered – though I wear reading glasses. He said we had the same cheery smile & he can tell you love your children – oh Bless!!! Meanwhile, I YUM in the future…