Crock Pot Meatloaf

As a child, I never liked meatloaf - there was just something about it. One day though, I was walking through the dinner line at my sorority and I smelled something delicious. You see, we rarely had beef, and once I saw it was meatloaf, I thought I had better give it a try. It was good, paired with mashed potatoes and a fresh green salad, it was really good. I have always made my meatloaf in the oven, but this week, I attempted a crock pot meatloaf and according to Chad, it was the "best meatloaf yet".

Ingredients
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup milk
2 1/2 slices bread - ripped into small pieces
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 T Pampered Chef Italian Seasoning
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1.5 lbs. ground meat (deer, elk, beef, etc.)
1/4+ cup ketchup
1 t.+ dry mustard
2 T+ brown sugar

Instructions
In large bowl, beat eggs. Pour in milk and top with bread crumbs. Add seasonings and mix well. Next, add ground meat and mix until completely combined.

Prepare crock pot with non-stick spray and put meat mixture into crock pot. Using a spatula, shape meat into a "loaf".

Cook on low for 4-5 hours. During the last half hour, mix the ketchup, dry mustard, and brown sugar in a small bowl and pour part over the loaf.

To prepare the bacon, preheat oven to 375. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and fill with bacon. Spread ketchup mixture over the top of bacon. Bake 10-15 minutes or until cooked to your liking. Cut loaf into slices and serve with a piece of bacon and any other sides!

Side-note - when I make meatloaf in the oven, I put the bacon and ketchup mixture on at the very beginning. The bacon is the best part.

Enjoy!

Easy Country Style Swiss Steak

Lately, I have been obsessed with my crockpot - making everything from pulled pork sandwiches to fajitas to Swiss steak! This recipe is super easy, and I usually have all the ingredients on-hand, not to mention, Chad and I both love mushrooms (or fungus as my brother calls them). I tend to use elk steak in this recipe, but it can easily be substituted with beef - and because the crockpot tenderizes the meat, I usually use the lesser quality cuts from the freezer.

Ingredients:
2 lbs. (approximately) steak (elk, beef, etc.)
1/2 cup flour
1 T garlic salt
1 tsp. butter
1 Spanish Sweet onion, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup water
noodles

Instructions:
Trim steak and cut into serving sized pieces. Mix flour and garlic salt in Ziploc bag. Place steak pieces into bag and flour on both sides. In frying pan, melt butter and lightly brown both sides of steak.

Meanwhile, peel and chop the onion. Combine mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup, and water - mix well. Place browned steaks in the bottom of crockpot, followed by chopped onions, and mushroom soup mix. Set the crockpot on low for 7-8 hours. Serve with noodles and enjoy!