Yeah, putting burgers on the grill sounds good until you have to stand there and flip them, not to mention hauling out "all the fixin's" that go with them. Then there are the flies, etc.. Instead of doing the grill thing, consider an easier option: making a cheeseburger meatloaf. You mix it up, you bake it in one pan, you cut it into squares, and you have something on your plate that tastes like the cheeseburgers from the grill--only better. You can, of course, put slices of cheeseburger meatloaf inside a bun, but I never do. I prefer the meatloaf served with corn, baked "fries," potato salad, or pasta salad. Think picnic fare to accompany your cheeseburger meatloaf. How does the meatloaf taste? It's quite good. The cheeseburger meatloaf has all the tastes you'd expect--mustard, tomatoes, pickles, onions, and, of course, cheese. If you'd like, you can always garnish the meatloaf with a little shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, and chopped green onion. Or just serve the meatloaf "as is." I only have one picture for you of the meatloaf because even "as is," it went fast--too fast for picture number two.
Cheeseburger Meatloaf -- Serves 6+
1 - 1 1/4 pounds of lean ground beef (93 percent)
1/2 cup of quick cooking oats
2 eggs
2-3 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
1/4 cup of pickle relish (sweet, dill, whatever you like on your burger)
2 tablespoons of minced dried onions
1 teaspoon of onion powder
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1/2-3/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
1 8-ounce can of tomato sauce
1 15-16-ounce can of diced tomatoes
4 slices of cheddar cheese
1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
Coat a large casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the meat, oats, eggs, mustard, relish, onions, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Add half the can of tomato sauce and half the can of diced tomatoes and mix everything well. Put half of the meat mixture (it will be quite moist) into the prepared casserole dish and smooth it out into an even layer. Lay the 4 slices of cheese evenly on top of the meat. Cover the cheese slices with the remaining meat mixture, smoothing it out evenly. Combine the remaining tomato sauce and tomatoes and pour them over the meat mixture. Bake the meatloaf for 40-45 minutes or until done. Remove the dish from the oven and sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the top of the tomato-sauce covered meatloaf. Return the dish to the oven for about 5 minutes or until the cheese melts. Let the meatloaf stand at least 10 minutes before serving it. The standing time will help the meatloaf firm up.