Amazing Crouton Spiked Meatloaf

I am totally obsessed with this meatloaf. And, as a food writer, it takes a decent amount of culinary prowess to amaze me. But those croutons... They changed the meatloaf game completely. I typically use bread crumbs or crackers, but (no joke), I was reaching for the crackers and saw the bag of croutons I use almost every night (the boys and I love our salads). At that moment, I thought "why not?..."

I smashed up those seasoned, toasted squares and added them to the beef with egg and a few other ingredients, and WOW, what a monumental difference they made! All that flavor... In one simple ingredient.

About the crouton variety: I chose Italian seasoned, so the croutons would add the flavors of garlic, onion, oregano, and basil. You can choose any crouton variety you want - including ranch and Caesar. And, since we're adding additional herbs and seasonings, you can also use plain croutons (you'll still get that wonderful toasted flavor).

Since I was making changes, I decided to make the meatloaf "freeform" too, rather than baking it in a loaf pan (or in a muffin pan as I also like to do). Why? Because (in my opinion), the exterior is the best part! In a loaf pan, only the top gets that goodness. When the loaf is freeform, there's more to coat. Since the coating is ketchup-based, and ketchup has sugar, it caramelizes in the oven while the loaf cooks through (a lot of magic happens in just 45 minutes). That caramelized crust covers almost every inch of that juicy loaf, ensuring you get seasoned beef with a sweet-tangy crust in every bite. Plus, there's no loaf pan to clean... I'd say that's a win.

Amazing Crouton Spiked Meatloaf
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1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 cup crushed seasoned croutons (see note above)
1 large egg
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons ketchup, divided
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
In a large bowl, combine the beef, croutons, egg, 1/4 cup ketchup, parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, basil, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well and shape the mixture into a loaf, about 7-8 inches long by 2 1/2 inches high.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining ketchup, Dijon mustard and paprika. Mix well and brush the mixture all over the meatloaf.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted into the meatloaf, not touching the bottom, reads  155 degrees. Let the meatloaf rest for 5 minutes before slicing (resting will also get the loaf to 160 degrees).

Serves 4