Spicy Southwestern Meatloaf

• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon hot red chile powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine the seasoning mix in a small bowl and set aside.

Spicy Vegetable Mix

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup celery rib, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped, roasted green chile (choose your heat level, drain excessive fluids on fresh roasted chile)
  If fresh roasted chile isn’t available, you can use dried, ground green chile. 2-3 tablespoons. If you use a dried form of chile, add it to the spice mix above.
  
• 1/2 cup green onions, finely sliced
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon tabasco
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 3/4 cup salsa (choose your heat level…mild, medium, hot, or extra hot)

Melt the butter over medium heat in a sauce pan. Add the onions, celery, green chile, green onions, garlic, Tabasco, Worcestershire, and the seasoning mix. Sauté until the mix starts sticking in the pan (about 6-minutes if you are using a non-stick pan that doesn’t provide tell-tale signs).

Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pan well. Stir in the evaporated milk and salsa. Continue cooking on medium heat for about 2-3 minutes, stirring consistently. Remove from heat.

Cool to room temperature. Remove the bay leaves.

Mixing the Meatloaf

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup fine bread crumbs (approximately)
• 1/2 cup blue corn meal
  If you don’t have blue corn, increase the amount of bread crumbs by a half cup.

Place the ground beef and ground pork in an 13 x 9 inch baking pan (ungreased). I use glass for easier cleanup. If you are using metal, line the pan with aluminum foil to make the clean up process faster.

Add the eggs, the vegetable mix, the blue corn meal, and the bread crumbs. Combine by hand thoroughly. Shape the mixture into a loaf in the middle of the pan, about 1 3/4 inches high, 6-7 inches wide, and 12 inches long. Dimensions will vary.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Raise the temperature to 400 degrees and continue cooking for about 35 minutes. Serve immediately. Leftovers make outstanding meatloaf sandwiches.

Please leave your recipe modifications, or any questions that you may have, in the comments.

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Need Chile?

If green and red chile are difficult to find in your area, dried green and red are available online from Fruit Basket Albuquerque. The dried forms of chile, whether ground, flakes, or dried pods, are much cheaper to ship than fresh or frozen chile.