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Slow Cooker Wild Rice Meatloaf
I love meatloaf, it is an excellent main dish for dinner. Unfortunately, when my husband and I married, I was facing a struggle of never being able to prepare meatloaf or having to cook two separate main dishes for dinner because my husband despised meatloaf. Or so he thought until I discovered an amazing recipe from Taste of Home, and then tweeked it to create the perfect meatloaf to satisfy my cravings, and also a flavor my husband loves!
Unlike the majority of meatloaf, there is absolutely no ketchup or form of tomato. This was a vital requirement since my husband has an allergy to tomatoes. One would be amazed at how difficult it is to discover a great meatloaf recipe that doesn't include tomatoes in some form. Then I happened to stumble upon a recipe that I thought would finally fulfill all of my requirements, that just needed a few minor changes to create an amazing meatloaf.
Once I began working on perfecting the recipe, I immediately recognized the importance and value of transferring the recipe from a standard 1 1/2 hour cooking time in the oven to a slow cooker meal, so I could toss it together and cook throughout the day. After some trial and error, have discovered the absolute perfect recipe, that has unbelievable flavor, can be placed in a slow cooker, and even better, turns out perfect every time!
Some great side ideas include: mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, glazed carrots, glazed apples and pears, corn, mac and cheese, or any other simple side dish you can think of!
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs, well beaten
- 1 pkg. Uncle Ben's Wild Rice, prepared according to package
- 2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 c. Italian bread crumbs
- 1/4 c. all purpose flour
- 1 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. sage
- 2 lbs. ground beef
- 1 med. white or yellow onion, diced
- 1 med. green bell pepper, diced
- 1 med. red bell pepper, diced
- 1 med. orange bell pepper, diced
- In large bowl, combine all ingredients, except for the ground beef, mixing well with your hands.
- Crumble the ground beef and begin working all ingredients together.
- Spray the slow cooker with cooking spray, and then create two aluminum foil strips to cover the sides of the slow cooker, creating a T-shape out of the aluminum foil.
- Line the inside of the crock pot with Reynolds Slow Cooker Liner, and spray with cooking spray.
- Use your hands to form the meatloaf into a oval shaped ball that will fit inside of the slow cooker without touching the sides.
- Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours, depending on the heat of your slow cooker.
- NOTE: Can prepare this meatloaf in the oven, follow all the basic steps, but instead spray a glass pan with cooking spray, and place the meatloaf in to cook at 375 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
When serving meatloaf, some of the most common sides in our households rarely will include potatoes since this recipe has rice in its primary ingredients. Some of our favorite sides include the following combinations: glazed carrots, sauteed buttery onions and mushrooms, and Irish Soda bread; another great choice includes grilled bbq asparegus, onion strings, and french bread; and finally, but certainly not least, creamy mac and cheese, broccoli casserole, and buttered artisian bread.
Meatloaf is the homestyle favorite that truly goes with a number of side dishes, and I am sure that including potatoes in some form would be an excellent choice. It is merely a personal preference not to include potatoes or corn with this meal because of the rice.
Another wonderful thing that I have discovered with this recipe is the amazing color that it produces. I even remember the first time I prepared it with my mom for a Sunday dinner, she kept teasing that she hated to cook it or eat it because it was so colorful and beautiful. Nonetheless, she did and after trying this recipe, after years of never being able to prepare a meatloaf that my father enjoyed, she discovered she could use this recipe and make the perfect meatloaf every time! It is yet another reason this has now become a family favorite!
© 2013 Kristie Gentry
