Cheeseburger Meatloaf

I think I have a meatloaf recipe for all occasions. This one is one my friend Bridgette introduced to me on our latest batch of cooking for the freezer. It's definitely a hearty meatloaf! We didn't need quite as much bacon for ours, but the extra pieces were a good snack. It's pictured cooking here.

Recipe from Paula Dean on the Food network.

* 1 pound ground chuck
* 10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
* 1 (8-ounce) package sharp Cheddar, grated
* 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
* 1/4 cup bread crumbs, toasted
* 1/4 cup mayonnaise
* 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/3 cup ketchup
* 2 tablespoons prepared mustard
* 1 (3-ounce) can French fried onions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck and next 8 ingredients, mixing well.
3. In a small bowl, combine the ketchup and mustard. Stir 1/4 cup ketchup mixture into meat mixture, reserving remaining ketchup mixture.
4. Press meat mixture into a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan, or shape into a loaf and place on a rack in a broiler pan. Spread remaining ketchup mixture over loaf. Bake 40 minutes. Top with French fried onions; bake another 10 to 15 minutes, or until meat is no longer pink.
5. To freeze and serve later: Cook for 40 minutes. Reserve onions in pantry and wrap meatloaf when it's cooled. (We flash froze ours on a cookie sheet in the freezer and then wrapped it.) Thaw overnight in the fridge, top with reserved onions, and cook for another 20 minutes or so (until hot). Watch it to make sure the onions don't burn.
   

Makes 1 hefty, hearty loaf; can be doubled easily.