Excerpted from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061658197/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=craftfocom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0061658197">"The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl"</a> by Ree Drummond. Makes 8 servings. Ingredients: 1 cup milk 6 bread slices 2 pounds ground beef 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon seasoned salt, such as Lawry’s Freshly ground black pepper ¼ to ½ cup minced flat-leaf parsley 4 eggs, beaten 8 to 12 thin bacon slices Tomato Gravy: 1½ cups ketchup 6 tablespoons brown sugar 1 teaspoon dry mustard Dash or two of hot sauce—more if you like heat
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Pour the milk over the bread and allow it to soak in for several minutes.
Place the ground beef, milk-soaked bread, Parmesan cheese, salt, seasoned salt, black pepper, and parsley in a large mixing bowl. Pour in the eggs.
With clean hands, mix the ingredients until well combined.
Form the mixture into a loaf shape on a broiler pan, which will allow the fat from the meat to drain. I always line the bottom of the broiler pan with aluminum foil to avoid having to scrub later.
Lay bacon slices over the top, tucking them underneath the meatloaf.
Next, make the tomato gravy. Pour the ketchup into a small mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar and dry mustard, and splash in the hot sauce. I’m pretty generous with it because I like a little spice. Stir the mixture until well combined.
Pour one-third of the tomato gravy over the top of the meatloaf.
Bake for 45 minutes, then pour another one-third of the remaining tomato gravy over the meatloaf. Bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Serve with the remaining tomato gravy on the side as a dipping sauce.