Mom's Famous Meatloaf

Ingredients

• ¾ lbs lean ground pork
• 1 ¾ lbs lean ground beef
• ¾ cup of fine-diced onions
• ¾ cup of fine-diced celery
• ½ cup of fine-diced sweet red pepper
• ¾ cup of half-and-half
• 1 cup of quick-cooking (not instant) oatmeal
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp fresh-ground black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 4 large eggs - lightly beaten
• ¾ cup of ketchup
• 2 strips of bacon - halved 1

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-by-5-by-2 3/4-inch loaf pan and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients except the bacon, in the order listed. Blend the mixture thoroughly with clean hands and pack firmly into the prepared loaf pan. Lay the four pieces of bacon at even intervals across the top of the loaf. This can be made several hours ahead, covered and refrigerated. Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking. (Meatloaf can also be tightly wrapped and frozen, uncooked.)
3. Bake in the center of the preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees measured on a meat thermometer. Let the meatloaf cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes. Remove to a serving platter and slice. This freezes well.
   
   
   **Makes 8 servings. I have a Green Egg BBQ and if you like to use your smoker I highly suggest smoking this meatloaf.

This is not your everyday meatloaf!